What Can Change
by Miriel Jex
Summary: A secret lies hidden in Mornie's past, something even she doesn't know. Will she fight it, rise above it, or succumb to it and fall? 10th Walker, Legomance fic. Already finished so quick updates. Something I wrote a couple years ago, and was wondering about its reception. Please read and review! No swearing. T for suicide and other near death-experiences.
1. Chapter 1

Aragorn sighed. As the sun set, he was growing tired and was impatient to finish his crossing of the river Isen. Drawing near to shore, he noticed a small object, probably a juvenile water animal, trying to escape the reeds and return to the currents. It was not, he perceived upon closer inspection, an animal at all, but a basket. He picked it up and took it to shore. Inside, he found a small bundle of rags, two black dots with the tiniest stars glittering inside them, and a note with a single word: "Mornie," Elvish, known in the common tongue as darkness. When he picked up the baby, the rags fell away from her face, revealing she was an Elf, but she revealed nothing more, for her face was entirely expressionless. He read the note aloud to her, "Mornie." The tiny stars flickered brighter just for a moment. "Is that your name then? Let's see how hungry you are." He knew she needed milk, but they were miles from any civilization, so he fed her mashed-up berries instead. The only clues she ever gave him as to how long she had been in the basket were the eagerness with which she ate and then the brevity of time if took her to fall asleep directly afterwards. Knowing he must get her to Rivendell as quickly as possible, he set out at once, for, even on a cloudy night, a Ranger can find his way across almost any terrain with astounding swiftness. He made Rivendell within the week and left Mornie with her own kind, returning monthly. She never spoke, cried, or even smiled. It was just after her second birthday, which Aragorn made the day he found her, that he did not return to Rivendell for a few months. When he did return, she watched him come into her playroom, then, for the first time, smiled, and said "Adda." At that moment, any doubts any one might have previously had as to who should parent the child were resolved. It was unlikely that any elf but Lord Elrond or one of his children would have taken her; all the rest were quite clear that they would prefer to keep their distance. This avoidance also became apparent a few weeks later, when, as she started using the large vocabulary she had been storing up, Aragorn decided that she was ready for school. The children, who would have made fun of this early bloomer anyway, were warned by their parents to stay away from her. This out casting, along with her love for the outdoors fast developed and encouraged by her father and the sons of Elrond, brought her to her Decision Day with an already convinced mind. When she was ten, and her companions thirteen, she did not want to be a dress-maker like some of the girls, nor a shopkeeper like most of the others. She decided that she wanted to be a Ranger. Seeing that she was in earnest and quite capable, Aragorn began to train her. So, while the others were apprenticed to various dressmakers and shopkeepers, Mornie was apprenticed to her father. She spent the next two years learning the names of the plants and their respective properties, the animals and the ways they act, and then how to fight. Aragorn taught her very little of the last because she picked up on it very quickly and took it even further on her own, farther than most apprentices might have. Then her father took her to her first Gathering, an annual event which saw almost all of that region's Rangers come together in one large clearing, others gathering elsewhere. As she had expected, when she met them, the other apprentices mocked the idea of a girl-Ranger. However, since all apprentices must show their combat skills in order to be assigned their ranks, the leading apprentice, a boy by the name of Jim, had her fight the lowest apprentice, expecting a short fight. He was correct: she disarmed her opponent with two flashes of blade.

"At least give me someone who can hold a sword properly," she stated, looking Jim straight in the eye, her stars glittering.

He called out a boy a few ranks above the first. The ringing of steel on steel echoed a few times around the clearing before this boy found his sword lying on the grass as well. Annoyed, Jim picked up his own sword, and Mornie met him head on. Thus ensued a fight so beautiful and well-executed, most of even the Rangers present stopped to watch this form of dance. Finally, Jim did a feet swipe, and, as Mornie landed back on the ground, the soft earth gave way beneath her, and she fell just underneath a small mound. Thinking that she had rolled to the far side of the mound, Jim looked for her there, but, not seeing her, he called for her to come out of hiding. The pain swelled in her ankle, but after checking to confirm it was not broken, she pushed through the pain and got back up. He was facing away from her, so she used the mound to gain some height as she jumped toward him. Her shadow betrayed her, however, and his sword came up to meet hers, suddenly loosening her grasp so that when she hit the ground it slipped out of her hand, and she rolled away from it. She pulled her dagger out on him, but he was already on top of her, his sword against her neck. Defeated, she dropped the dagger from its place against his stomach and raised her hands in surrender. He stood up, holding his sword up in triumph, while she replaced her dagger in its hidden sheath in her boot. He returned her sword to her, and then called his second in command.

"Latgy," he said, "give me your ring."

"But Jim, I - here," Latgy finished under Jim's glare.

"The ring of the second," Jim held it up for all the apprentices to see and turned to Mornie and placed it on her left pointer finger. She looked to her father and saw the pride in his eyes, and the stars twinkled.

"But Jim, she's a-"another voice began from behind her. She spun around quickly, sword still in hand.

"You want to finish that?" she called to the speaker, but all the apprentices were silent.

"Come on, we've got things to do," Jim said, moving on.

So Mornie found acceptance amongst the apprentices, and they became like brothers to her, and, though she only saw them once a year, they still found ways to communicate outside the Gathering. Mornie returned to Rivendell whenever her father did, which turned out to be quite often, and she soon realized the reason why: Aragorn's love for Arwen. She would only sleep there, however, leaving as soon as the gates opened, and always just slipping in before they were closed for the night. She practiced her fighting skills, and loved learning every stick and stone surrounding the city. Within a few months, she began to take a horse out so she could go further and explore more.

Finally, Aragorn left for the Gathering. Mornie was looking forward to seeing friends she could rely on again. This, however, her third gathering, was to be different from the previous two. About midday, the sentry called out for all to take hidden positions. In the stillness, Mornie could hear the creaking of a carriage, followed by a man's voice in the distance.

"All of you, stay here. I need to do this alone."

He then began the seemingly long walk into the forest. She could still hear him muttering to himself.

"Just passed the stream where the crossroad is in sight, then take a turn, and ninety paces to the right."

A man well into his fifties stumbled into the clearing, huffing and puffing, for he was a short, wide man, who clearly did not get much exercise at all, if any. He was well dressed, the white shirt beneath his vest and coat a large contrast against his bright red face. He looked completely terrified.

"Hello?" he called out. "Rangers? I mean you no harm. I just have a request." Nothing stirred. "Please tell me I'm not just talking to myself. This is ridiculous," he added quietly. "I'm looking for one of your apprentices," he continued in a loud voice, turning, trying to find some sign of life. "A young elf, named Mornie." She signaled her father, asking for permission to step out. "Please, I need your help." Aragorn gave his permission, and she appeared precisely from where he had just looked away.

"I am Mornie," she said quietly, trying not to scare him too badly. He jumped, but then smiled.

"You're real. You're really here."

"It would seem so. You said you wanted my help. I cannot promise you I will do it, but I shall consider it."

"Yes, yes, yes. Of course. Thank you very much, Miss Mornie. My name is Rufus Rubac. You see, miss, it's my daughter, Lily. I fear for her safety. She keeps getting letters and such, and I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but a father knows when something's not right with his daughter."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Please, I mean no offense, but I would like to hire you to protect her, and to investigate whatever's happening. On behalf of the love of fathers, I ask you to consider this."

"I shall, but I need to consult others before I give you my decision."

A rabbit rustled a bush behind him, and he turned to look. When he glanced back at Mornie, she was gone. The sound of quiet bird song rippled through the clearing. Mornie first consulted her father, who gave his permission, and then she checked with Jim, to confirm he would not need her assistance that day. Then the decision was up to her. She pitied the man who only requested help for the sake of his daughter. A moment later, she appeared from across the clearing where she had disappeared.

"Mr. Rubac, I have chosen to assist you. What do you need me to do?"

"Oh, thank you, thank you so very, very, much Miss Mornie. I promise I shall pay you very well."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm not interested in your money, Mr. Rubac."

"No, of course not, but still I am very, very grateful."

_As if I couldn't tell already_, Mornie thought.

"Now if you will please collect your things, I will take you to my town, and we can discuss the particulars in the carriage.

"I have everything I need, Mr. Rubac."

"Of course you do, of course you do," he replied, his cheeks growing red again. Here Aragorn stepped out of the tree line. Rubac almost fell over.

"Mornie," Aragorn said in Elvish. "Be careful. A town has many other dangers different from the forest."

"I will, Adda. Goodbye."

Jim also stepped up. Rubac began to sweat, obviously uncomfortable with three Rangers, though he little knew he was surrounded by dozens. Jim beckoned Mornie away since he didn't speak Elvish.

"Do your duty, and come back soon. Leave a message at the new elm near the brook when you're back."

"I will," Mornie nodded. "It won't be long. Goodbye."

With that, Mornie joined Mr. Rubac. His servants were quite surprised to see him come back accompanied by a young elf. She sat tall and still in the carriage, waiting for Rubac to speak.

"It really is a fairly simple matter," he began. "I would like you to follow Lily and protect her, while trying to figure out what is going on. Of course, the entire town is available for you to use as needed, as I am Mayor."

_So that's the funny little insignia on his jacket._

"She's still only 14, so she spends most of her day in school, and the rest mostly out with her friends."

_How old does he think I am?_

"Also, please, if you could make your presence known, I would think it should scare away her potential attacker."

"Don't you want him caught?" she asked.

"Not as much as I want her safe."

_A fourteen-year-old who spends her time in school and with friends. Where's the threat? This might be even faster than I thought. But I won't get over-confident._

The mayor was very proud of his town; he couldn't stop talking about it the rest of the ride. Mornie listened somewhat, but always nodded in the correct places. Shortly thereafter, they arrived at the mayor's house. Mornie glanced quickly up and down the street, memorizing the people and buildings surrounding her. Then she followed the mayor inside. He turned left at the first door where Mrs. and Miss Rubac were sitting, doing embroidery.

_Wow, that looks boring _was the only thing that came to Mornie's mind. The richly furnished room had a few paintings hanging on the walls, fairly good, seeing as they'd been done by human painters, and one large Elvish painting, the highlight of the room. On the mantle were three portraits, one of a young man, one of Lily, and one of a little boy, the Rubac children, Mornie guessed. A footman stood waiting for the next order.

"Martha dear," Mr. Rubac addressed his wife, "this is the Ranger Butterbur mentioned last time I was in Bree: Miss Mornie. She has agreed to help protect our Lily."

Mornie bowed her head, and Mrs. Rubac began a "How do-" but was cut off by Miss Rubac.

"What?! Father, you got a Ranger to protect me?! I told you, it was nothing and to stay out of it! How could you?!"

"Lily dear, I'm only trying to help you."

"Some help!" and she flounced out of the room.

"That's Lily," Mr. Rubac said.

"Oh" was all Mornie replied.

"And I'm Hertem, her brother and pest," said a little voice behind her. Mornie turned and recognized the youngest child on the mantelpiece. "Are you a real Ranger?" Hertem asked.

"Not quite, actually," Mornie replied. "I'm still an apprentice."

"Oh. When will you be a real Ranger?"

"When my father and trainer decides I'm ready."

"When will that be?"

"Probably about a year or so."

"Why so long?"

"I have to learn how to be a good Ranger first."

"Oh. Why-?"

"Look, Hertem, I'd really like to chat with you, but I'm afraid I have a job to do. May we continue this another time?"

"Oh. Sure. Mother, I'm going to go back outside," and Hertem left.

"You actually got him to stop talking! I don't think that's ever happened," Mr. Rubac joked.

"Rufus!" Mrs. Rubac warned. "Charles, would you please take Miss Mornie's things up to the room adjacent to Miss Lily's?"

The footman left, but returned immediately.

"I'm afraid there aren't any of Miss Mornie's things arrived yet, madam."

"Oh, that silly coachman, I really-"

"Martha dear, Miss Mornie doesn't have any things."

"Oh. Right. Then, Charles, please show Miss Mornie to her room. Thank you for coming, Miss Mornie."

Mornie bowed again, and then followed the footman up the stairs. He opened the door to a fairly plain bedroom: just a bed, a writing desk, a mirror, and a chest of drawers.

"Miss Rubac's room is just one more door down the hall. I believe she's in there now."

"Thank you." The foot man continued to stand there. "I'm afraid I'm not very used to this. You can go now, I guess." Charles bowed and exited. Mornie glanced around the room, wiped some dirt off her face that she saw in the mirror, and went and knocked on Miss Rubac's door.

"Who's there?" came a voice from within.

"Mornie."

"What do you want?"

"I think we need to discuss some things."

"Come in, I suppose."

Mornie opened the door to a more richly decorated room with a fireplace but the same basic layout as Mornie's.

"Well?" the other girl asked.

"First, do you prefer Miss Lily or Miss Rubac?"

"Miss Rubac."

"Then, Miss Rubac, it's clear that you don't really want me here. May I ask why?"

"Look, all I want to do is spend time with my friends, and you're going to ruin it because they will be afraid of you."

"What if I promise to stay back and be only an observer, not a participant?"

"Then we'd be getting somewhere. I will be going out with my friends shortly. I wasn't going to tell you, but if you won't bother us, you may come."

_What, does she think she rules the world?_

"All right, I won't bother you if you won't order me around. I am your equal, not your servant." Miss Rubac's eyes narrowed at this, but seeing that Mornie meant it, she softened.

"Agreed. Let's go," and she led the way down the stairs.

Nothing eventful happened that evening, or the next few days. Both girls kept their promises. Mornie followed Miss Rubac and usually her group of friends to school in the mornings and around town in the evening. She caught glimpses of Hertem, often preparing a prank of some sort. Upon request, she showed him her sword once, but had little interaction with him otherwise. It happened on one evening, however, that Miss Rubac departed from her friends. Mornie followed her through the many twists and turns. Night was quickly descending. Suddenly, the large black shape of a man appeared just behind Miss Rubac and grabbed her. Mornie yelled and attacked.


	2. Chapter 2

Sword drawn and stars flashing, Mornie rushed toward Miss Rubac's attacker. She tripped him and heard Miss Rubac scream. The attacker rolled over and began to stand up, only to find a sword tip almost touching his Adam's apple. Miss Rubac began to cry.

"Lily," the attacker asked, "is this the Ranger?"

She could only nod through her sobs.

"I thought you said you could lose her."

"I'm sorry, Ven, I thought I had."

"Wait a second. This is what you're father was so upset about?" Mornie asked. Miss Rubac nodded.

"He doesn't know?"

She shook her head. Mornie sighed, and lifted up her sword.

"What are you going to do?" Miss Rubac asked.

Mornie looked up to the moon for an answer.

"I'm going to have to tell your father."

"No, but, please, you can't," Miss Rubac spluttered.

"Lily, calm down," Ven said, gently holding her. "It's time he knew anyway."

"Here, I'll go in first. Ven, you come in when I signal you. Lily, stand by Ven. Ready? Let's go."

When they reached the house, Mornie found Mr. and Mrs. Rubac and Hertem sitting in the library.

"Hertem, I thought I heard the cook saying that she had something special for you tonight. How about you go find out?" Mornie suggested. Hertem didn't need to be asked twice. Mr. Rubac caught on.

"Martha dear, may I handle this alone?" he asked his wife.

"Certainly, darling. I'll be upstairs." Mrs. Rubac said as she left.

"Well?" he said turning to Mornie.

"Mr. Rubac, I have discovered with what your daughter is dealing. I don't want you to worry. It is something that nearly all young women must deal with, especially around her age. All the letters, all her actions, have been indicating this. Because of my limited experience, I have unfortunately failed to realize the problem before it hit me in the face. Mr. Rubac, what I am about to say will shock you. I ask you to use your judgment well before coming to a decision. Miss Rubac is in love. She is afraid that you will not like the man she loves, so she has kept him and her love hidden. Ven?" He and Miss Rubac entered. "If you will excuse me-" Mornie left the room. She waited in the hall for the conclusion. A few minutes later, Ven and Lily came out, smiling and laughing.

"I take it that went well, then?" Mornie asked the joyful couple.

"Oh yes, Mornie, yes!" Lily ran up and hugged her. "Thank you so much, Mornie. We're going to arrange a ball soon so we can announce our engagement."

"Congratulations," Mornie said, managing a smile.

"You will stay, for it won't you?" Lily smiled back.

"I'm sorry. I really can't. It's best if I leave tonight, actually."

"Tonight? That's so soon," Lily sighed.

"I'm a Ranger. We can't stay in one place for long. Even if I returned for your ball, do you really want to see me there dressed like this?" she looked down at her clothes.

"You only have one dress?" Lily could not fathom this. Ven stepped in while she was trying to figure it out.

"Feel free to come back any time. Thank you very much. We will never forget this."

"Goodbye, then," Mornie said. "I should go see Mr. Rubac." She left the happy couple alone together.

She found Mr. Rubac smiling and laughing to himself. "Ah, my dear girl," he said, looking up as she came in. "Good work. Very good work indeed. Such good work, I was wondering whether you would like to have a permanent position here in our town."

"I am honored, Mr. Rubac," she replied, "but my place, my home is with Rangers in the Wildlands. I must return there, even this very evening."

"It's already night out there. Are you sure you don't want to wait for morning?" She shook her head. "My father is waiting," she explained.

"Well then, at least let me pay you."

"As I told you when this began, I don't want your gold."

"There must be some way I can repay you."

"There is: you can inform Hertem that there is an apprenticeship waiting for him if he wants it, once he is older, of course: and if that is what he truly wants, don't stand in his way."

"I won't," he said. "Once more, thank you, Miss Mornie. Goodbye."

She smiled and bowed, and began to leave the house, but Hertem was waiting for her.

"Do you really think I could be an apprentice?" he asked excitedly.

"Do you hear everything?" she asked, the stars glittering. He shrugged.

"A lot of things, I guess."

"Like I told your father: if you really want it, it's yours; but it's a hard life, Hertem. Make sure you're ready." And with that, she said goodbye and left the house.

Aragorn knew they had little time before her testing, so he began to work her harder than ever. They stayed out of Rivendell for the remaining months, and she began to do the most of the hunting. However, when her testing arrived, he knew she was ready. There would be little training left afterwards. She knew this was her chance to show the judges and the world she could take it on. She started with her single testing, where she would need to prove in a monitored environment that she could easily live a week alone in an unmonitored one. The location, however, was different. It had streams that would make you fall asleep, foods and plants that were transplanted from all over Middle Earth that the apprentices could not recognize. Many of the apprentices were frightened, but not Mornie. She knew that, even in the event that she made a mistake, there was no real danger. It would be humiliating to be taken out before the end of her week, but she would be alive. During her testing, she saw many apprentices who had taken the test before they were ready: they had drunk from the wrong stream, eaten the wrong food, or had made some other mistake. She, however, made no mistakes, coming out of the test completely unscathed. Next was the group testing, an extreme form of capture the flag, known to last for weeks at times. The ready apprentices from her gathering matched themselves against apprentices from another gathering. They both had a short meeting time to form a plan, and Mornie was put on the offensive and went out first. She penetrated deeper into enemy territory than any other apprentice had this early in the game for a long time, but the enemy eventually captured her. They held her in their prison, trying to get her to tell them where the flag was located. She pretended to keep her eyes on the ground, but one was always up and looking for their flag. That was her mission: to let herself be captured and find the flag. After a few days, she saw a glimpse of green and gold, the colors on their flag. It was inside the kitchen tent. Someone opened the flap again, and she could see it clearly. They were using their flag as a common kitchen rag.

_Ingenious,_ she thought. _We never would have found it._

"Are you even listening to me?" her interrogator demanded.

"No," she shrugged. He left her alone, exasperated.

That night, she heard Jim's hooting.

_Have you found it yet?_

_ Yes, _she replied, _I know precisely where it is._

_ Good. We'll get you out and attack at the right moment tomorrow._

_ I'll be waiting._

Jim kept his word. Over half of the camp was out, either building up the camp's defenses or trying to get across the border to the other team. She heard Jim's bluebird warning. She quickly flipped the guard on her right, freeing that hand so she could punch out the guard on her left. More were quickly upon her, but Jim and the others were just behind them. She grabbed her sword back and began to fight.

"We've got it," Jim yelled. "Go!"

Mornie took off, running straight to the kitchen tent and grabbing the flag, fighting off anyone in her way. Then she headed back for the border. She knew if she was caught now, it would all be for nothing. Suddenly, others were rushing toward her, recalled by the sound of fights in the camp. She took to the trees to get above them, jumping across branch to branch, balancing her sword and the flag. Then they were in the trees, too. She dropped back to the ground, knowing she could outrun them. She could hear their yells just a few yards behind her, growing closer and closer, until the trumpet sounded. She had made it across the border. Her team had won, her tests completed.

Her joy dissipated quickly, though. Aragorn had only given her limited information as to the rise of Sauron. He now told her everything.

"The reason I'm telling you all this now," he finished, "is that Gandalf came to see me during your testing."

"Gandalf!" Mornie smiled. She was also friends with the old wizard. "Why did he come to see you?"

"He said he had a job for me. Mornie, I need to go to Bree. There's someone I need to meet there. We'll be taking him to Rivendell. I want you to wait outside the village for me, though."

"All right. I'll go with you part of the way, and you tell me where to wait."

"Great. Thanks. We need to go now."

"That's what I figured."

The four hobbits were studying the ground, trying not to trip as they walked behind Aragorn. Merry looked up once, and let out a small shout, making the other hobbits look up.

"There's someone next to you!" he yelled to Aragorn.

"I have been here for the past hour," Mornie commented, her hood still up. She turned to Aragorn. "Whatever happened to someone?"

"He decided to bring friends."

"Mr. Frodo," she heard Sam say, "he's an elf!"

"He?!" Mornie smiled and threw back the hood of her cloak.

"Oh! Um, sorry," Sam offered. Mornie just waved her hand to say it was nothing.

"Gentlemen, my daughter, Mornie." Aragorn introduced her, and she bowed.

"Daughter? But he's not an elf!" Pippin was confused.

"Adopted, silly," Merry told him.

Then Aragorn and Mornie continued, the hobbits following behind. They were never really sure where Mornie was. Sometimes they would look up and see her, but they often wouldn't. One night, Frodo brought wood up to the fire where she was cooking.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked. Mornie nodded. "Why does your name mean darkness?"

She looked at him in surprise. Very few hobbits knew Elvish.

"You must be the-" she stopped herself, "the one who decided to bring his friends.

"Well, they more of decided to join me, not the other way around." She nodded, her stars beginning to dim, thinking of the answer to his question.

"I really don't know why. I never knew either of my parents. I think now that perhaps one or both of them somehow knew all this would happen, but I'm not really sure. Aragorn found me and the note with my name, and took me in. He gave me a true name: Morwen Finduilas Ar-Feniel, but I'm really only known as Mornie. Now, I'm the only female Elf Ranger, and that's all I really know about me."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Hey Frodo, come see this!" Pippin called.

"Not now, he's talking to someone else," Merry reprimanded him.

"Are they always like that?" Mornie asked.

"Mostly. Especially Pippin." Frodo smiled, walked off to join the others.

The rest of the journey continued smoothly, at least until they arrived at Weathertop. There, Aragorn quietly informed Mornie of his worry that the Black Riders were close on their trail, that he was going out to try to slow them down, and he needed her to perform hourly patrols that night. She nodded. She was used to staying up all night. It was on one of these patrols that something happened. She didn't know what was happening, but she knew nothing good was going to come of it. She swiftly climbed one of the pillars one the peak of the lookout so she could see nearly everything without being seen. A chill that she couldn't understand began to creep up her spine, growing stronger as something drew near. The hobbits appeared just below her, frightened, but she kept still and waited. The chill grew stronger. Before she knew it, Ringwraiths joined the hobbits. The chill almost overwhelmed her, but she pushed it away, knowing she would need to fight soon. The other hobbits tried to protect Frodo before they were flung aside by the wraiths. Frodo dropped his sword. He was completely unshielded. Mornie knew what she must do. She jumped, turning mid-air, landing on all fours with her back to Frodo, silent as a cat. She quickly stood up, drawing her sword. She was face to face with the Witch-King of Angmar.


	3. Chapter 3

"Get back, away from here," Mornie ordered, stars blazing

The sinister laugh that responded knocked all the air out of her lungs. The hobbits screamed. She murmured a protection in Sindarin underneath her breath, hoping it would work for once.

"I am Mornie," she said, gathering her courage, "Elf-Ranger."

"Mornie," they breathed, "we know you."

She felt her courage drifting away, but she pulled it back, attacking, stars flashing. A slice to the right knocked away the first's sword. The second's was right behind it. She swung out, but it parried and jabbed. She turned to avoid the blade, only getting herself deeper amongst the wraiths. She knew she could not let their poisoned blades touch her. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Frodo slip on the Ring.

"Frodo, no!" she yelled, but the distraction was just enough that the wraiths overwhelmed her, and one got its hand around her neck and lifted her off the ground. She tried to kick it but it was too far away. She tried to swipe at it with her sword, but, suddenly, it was too heavy. She dropped it, and her hands automatically went up, trying to get the wraith's hands away. She could feel the darkness pressing in around her. She heard Frodo cry out from a distant tunnel. She could see the darkness now, closing in around her eyes, with a tiny flicker of flame in the center. Then, nothing.

She awoke with a start, gasping for breath, but the wraiths were gone. She had been lying on the ground, crumpled up. The hobbits and Aragorn knelt near something on the edge of the tower. She tried to stand, but the darkness forced her back down. She waited for it to clear before she approached her father and the others. She quickly realized that they were standing over Frodo, who had a wound in his shoulder.

"A Morgul blade," he explained, showing her the hilt. "He needs Elvish medicine."

"Well that's easy. She's an Elf," Sam pointed out.

"Adda, I can't. You know I've tried to do other things, and I can't," Mornie stuttered, frightened.

"Can you just try this? You're older now, maybe it will be different," Aragorn pleaded. "You know what's at stake. You must."

Mornie nodded. She slowed and evened her breathing; she looked at Frodo, slipping away too quickly. She touched his cheek.

"Frodo," she began in Sindarin, working hard. "Look at me. See this light, and come back to it. Come back."

She held his gaze, waiting for some sign of change. Frodo turned away, and Mornie fell back exhausted.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely audible.

"It's not your fault. It'll be alright, we'll get him to Rivendell."

_But it is my fault._

Frodo grew steadily worse as the journey and time progressed. Both Rangers knew they were running out of time, so Aragorn decided to use a possible antidote: athelas. She set off in one direction to look while Aragorn and Sam went other directions. After only a few minutes of looking, she heard her father's birdcall to return to camp. When she returned, she saw Arwen attempting to heal Frodo, but he turned away from her as well. Aragorn lifted him onto Arwen's horse, and spoke to her in Elvish.

"What are they saying?" one of the hobbits asked.

"They're deciding who should take him to Rivendell. Arwen can ride faster and would be able to protect him better once they cross the river, but before that-" Mornie stopped and massaged her throat. She could feel the little scabs where the metal gloves had cut her. Aragorn stepped away from the horse as Arwen mounted.

"What are you doing?" Sam demanded of Aragorn. "Those wraiths are still out there!"

"No, Sam, this is right," she reassured him as the horse galloped away. He whirled on her.

"How do you know?" he asked. "How do you know he hasn't sent him to be lost, that he's made the right decision?"

Her stars shimmered faintly. "My father always makes the right decision," she replied, and went to ask her father the plans for the next few days.

Though beauty shone in nature on October 14th of that year, Mornie was too focused on getting to Rivendell by nightfall to notice. That night, she checked on Frodo, who was still struggling, and then made sure the hobbits reached their rooms before returning to her own. However, the next morning, she was gone before daylight, as usual. This time, though, she made sure she was back in time for dinner, as her father had requested. He had mentioned something about meeting an old friend. Meanwhile, Legolas had arrived and was speaking with Aragorn as a friend when Aragorn suddenly noticed the time.

"_Melon,_" he asked, "would you be kind enough to call Mornie in? She's unmistakable and should be coming in any minute now. Just tell her to come straightaway." He went off to join Arwen, and Legolas stepped outside.

It wasn't long before a young girl entered the courtyard. She was slightly dirty, dressed in the garb of the Rangers, her weapons, as ordered, outside the city, and the Second's ring on her hand. It was not these characteristics that gave her away, nor the avoidance many of the Elves allowed her. Instead, it was her bearing, and a way about her; she truly was her father's daughter.

"Mornie!" he called, and she looked to see him walking towards her.

"You must be Legolas," she said, bowing.

"I am," he replied. "Your father wants you in the dining hall immediately."

She glanced down at her hands, confirming that they were clean enough, and followed Legolas into the hall. During the meal, Ecthelion, a boy who had once tried to court her before being quite harshly cut off, made eye-contact with her, but she quickly broke it, though not before she noticed that he had one of the most annoying of her classmates at his side. Needless to say, she remained outside the city for most of the next evening, though it did not help her: when she reentered, she saw her father and Legolas close by, but her path was blocked by Ecthelion and his girlfriend. Mornie tried to move around him.

"Mornie, wait," he said, verbally pulling her back. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."

She looked at him speculatively and tried to decide whether he was telling the truth. To prove his point further, he drew himself up.

"I've changed," he stated. She smiled slightly, stars shimmering with anger.

"Really?" she asked. "Then what they say is not true: she isn't your fourteenth girlfriend in two years?"

"Of course not," his girlfriend broke in. "Eccy and I have been going steady for two months."

"Oh, two months? Is that a record, _Eccy_? From that evidence, I'd say you haven't changed."

As she turned to walk away, he reached out, tapping her shoulder; but he immediately found the sharp end of a dagger an inch from his nose.

"Never touch me again," she ordered.

He immediately drew back, and Mornie sheathed her dagger back in her boot and walked away.

"If I don't change, you don't change," he yelled after her, but she kept walking. "You probably have a Ranger, a Man for your boyfriend," she kept walking, "like your father." She stopped. He was now yelling loud enough that Aragorn could hear plainly. "He messes around with Elves, so you think you can do likewise." Aragorn held Mornie's gaze and slightly shook his head, forbidding her from reacting. She heard the other girl's laughter mocking them, and her eyes shimmered stronger. She wanted to turn, but her father stopped her; she couldn't continue walking either. Legolas approached and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, breaking the spell, and she walked to Aragorn.

"If I send you to your quarters, will you stay there?" he asked her. She nodded and began to walk away.

"Mornie," he recalled her, "think about what you've done by drawing a weapon on that boy." She nodded again and left.

It was reflex. She was nearly surprised herself when she found her dagger in Ecthelion's face. She was so angry, but afraid. It was almost as if she had reached down into herself, and something else had come up and taken control for a moment. She was afraid it would happen again. Just as bad, she had broken the law. She didn't know what her punishment would be, but she did know that she had a choice: run away now, or face it. Her instinct told her to run away, but she knew that would not please her father, and it might help prove Ecthelion right. That was the coward's way out. She went to bed that night uncertain and woke up the next morning even worse, but she didn't run away. Shortly after dawn, someone knocked on her door, and Aragorn entered.

"Good, you're still here," he said, aware of her decision last night. "Lord Elrond wants to see you in half in hour." She braided her hair as usual, though nervously, and then followed him out.

She met with Lord Elrond alone in his office. Ecthelion entered shortly after her. After the formalities were finished, Elrond began.

"Mornie," he addressed her, "is it true that you drew a weapon inside the city on this Elf?"

"It is," she replied.

"Then I sentence you to surrender all your weapons to me immediately, to be returned to you in six weeks."

"Six weeks!" she exclaimed. "But I-"

"Eight weeks," he countered.

She took out her dagger and handed it to him.

"My other weapons are with one of the guards, an Elf by the name of Galdor," she explained, perturbed.

"Thank you," Elrond said. "Dismissed. Not you, Ecthelion; please stay."

"Well, how did it go?" Aragorn asked, standing near Legolas, as she closed the door.

"Eight weeks," she said, "I'm stuck in this city for eight weeks because that's how long he took my weapons for." She sighed. "I guess I'll be in the library or some place if you need me."

The library looked out across the valley and up into the wilderness. Mornie tried to focus on her books, but she couldn't. She would read a paragraph multiple times and still have no idea what it said. She tried going for a walk, but she kept gravitating toward the gates. She finally went to bed early that night and woke up just as early the next morning. She was trying to decide what she could do with herself that day when there was a soft knock on the door. She opened it to find Legolas standing, fully ready for a day outside the city.

"Are you coming?" he asked her.

"Where?" she replied, confused.

"Well, lack of weapons only means that you can't go out alone. I'd say it's a different matter altogether if someone is with you."

Stars glittered as she hastily finished tying her boots.

"Let's go," she said and ran out ahead of him, but he quickly caught up.

The first six weeks were much better than she ever could have expected. She showed Legolas all the interesting places and activities that she had found over the years, and he showed her new techniques to hunting and fighting. Frodo awakened, and the council was held while she waited outside and later learned the events from her father before continuing her adventures with Legolas. Unfortunately, all good things must things must come to an end. One morning, she found Legolas with Aragorn looking over maps.

"Are we heading out today?" she asked him.

"Sorry," he replied, "But I need to stay here today. I trust you can keep yourself busy?"

"Yes, I can practice the _cam_ combination you told me about." She glanced down at the map. "Are we going through Lothlorien?" she asked.

"Certainly," Legolas began, "we-" he stopped when he saw the look on Aragorn's face.

"The Fellowship might be," Aragorn told his daughter, "But you will be staying here."

Her face fell, but she nodded. "Well, I guess I'll be going then."

Two weeks later, Mornie received her weapons back, so Legolas went to see if she still wanted to head out together. He was surprised by the sound of metal being sharpened. He opened the door and she quickly spun around to hide her work.

"What ever are you doing?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she said.

"Really?"

"If you must know, I was making you a goodbye present. That's all."

"Oh. I wanted to see if you wanted me with you again today."

"Sure. I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Ok," he said, pretending to close the door. As Mornie returned to her work, Legolas was shocked by what he saw.


	4. Chapter 4

Mornie was not, as she had claimed, creating a gift; instead, she was sharpening her weapons as if for a battle or long journey.

"If I didn't know better," Legolas interrupted her, "I'd say you were preparing to follow the Fellowship."

"And what if I was?" she challenged, surprised. "This is my world too. Why can't I also fight for it?"

"When you put it in that manner, no reason at all, as long as you know precisely what you're getting yourself into. This is our one chance. A single mistake-"

"There won't be any mistakes."

"It'll be dangerous."

"Everything has a cost. But my father can't know my plans."

"He won't learn it from me. In fact, we'd better leave soon before he realizes that something is up."

"You're right. Let's go."

December 25th was a chilly day, certainly not the best for starting a journey, unless that journey was to be a complete secret. Mornie refused to come down to see the Fellowship off, pretending to be angry and sad. Arwen came up to check on her, and Mornie knew she would have only done so once they were gone. She ordered Arwen away, keeping up her pretense as she lowered a rope out the window. She made sure to hear Arwen's retreating footsteps before climbing down and carefully slipping over the wall to find the Fellowship's trail. Aragorn had disguised it well, but a trained Ranger could find it, though with difficulty. She followed them for a few days before walking into their camp at nightfall with a fresh kill for dinner. The hobbits started in surprise; Boromir put himself on guard, only recognizing an Elf; Gimli stared in confusion, possibly recognizing the fabled Elf daughter of a Man; Gandalf and Legolas greeted her nonverbally; Aragorn simply glanced up momentarily from the fire he was building.

"Ah, you're finally here," he said.

She looked to Legolas questioningly and accusingly, but he shook his head and pulled his hands up.

"You were so silent behind us, that I thought that you really weren't there."

"Wait, you were expecting me to follow?"

"I wouldn't say expecting. It's more like testing you to see if you would."

"Can we start the cooking now?" Pippin asked.

"Or maybe some simple introductions first?" Boromir suggested.

"Right, sorry. I'm Mornie, daughter of Aragorn. You must be Boromir."

"So how about now?" Pippin continued.

The days passed smoothly as the Fellowship progressed. Mornie helped as much as she could to prove her ability to join it. She grew deeper in what she thought was friendship with Legolas. While she was out hunting one night, Gandalf pulled him aside. Their conversation turned to Mornie.

"You find her attractive," Gandalf confirmed.

"It takes an incredible girl to be able to do what she can: her kindness, her loyalty, her fighting skills."

"Go slowly," Gandalf warned. "She is not quite ready yet."

As Boromir taught the younger hobbits fighting maneuvers, Mornie and Legolas would perform them; however, they would occasionally they would take the combat further. Once, they were presenting the Elvish _megil-sigil_ combination when the fight continued. Legolas locked their swords together and pulled her close: close enough that she could feel his ensuing hesitation. She kneed him in the stomach, then kicked him further, sending him flying backwards and down.

"That is why," she concluded, "you never hesitate. You hesitate, you give you opponent a chance to – oof!"

Her sword flew out of her hand, and the same blow caused her to fall to her knees. She turned to see Legolas standing over her, sword-point down.

"That is why," he joked, "you never leave your opponent armed. You leave your opponent armed, you give your opponent a chance to oomph."

"It wasn't oomph," she explained, "it was oof." She pushed his arm awaysuddenly, his sword flew up in the air, and she caught it. He landed near her sword with"oof."

"See, you got it right that time," she said.

"All right," he replied, picking up her sword, "you want to duel that way, we can do that."

She raised his sword to defend herself as he attacked. She had never seen anyone move a blade so quickly, but she was able to counter. Unfortunately, that was all she was able to do; blow by blow, she countered but was unable to attack. She was unused to the shortness and lightness of this sword, so Legolas quickly had both swords in a V around her neck.

"The lesson I just learned, friends," she addressed the hobbits, "is to know your weapons. However, they aren't always necessary: for instance, right now I could force Legolas into hand to hand combat. Seeing as that isn't what you're learning, though, we'll save it for later. It's your turn now."

As the hobbits began to practice with each other and Boromir, Legolas returned her sword to her, and they went to get water. She heard Gimli griping about something, the hobbits battling hard, and her father getting involved only to get floored.

"What is that?" someone asked, directing all their attention to the sky.

"Nothing, just a bit of cloud," Gimli answered gruffly.

"It's moving fast," Boromir countered, "against the wind."

"Birds?" Mornie questioned.

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas exclaimed.

"Hide!" Aragorn ordered. Mornie dove beneath a shrub next to Legolas. The camp was silent in moments before the hoarse calls broke in. She was sure she had never seen or heard them before, but it sounded so familiar. Finally, they left, and the Company rose from shrubs and various rocks.

"Saruman's spies," Gandalf explained to the hobbits. "The passage south is being watched." He turned his eyes to the mountains. "We must take the pass of Caradras."

She had never truly known cold until that part of the journey. The depth of the snow forced them to crawl along at a snail's pace. Mornie mostly stayed on top of the snow, but in a few places she sank down, even where Legolas did not. The path was tricky and treacherously thin at places. They were at one of these when Legolas stopped.

"There's a fell voice on the wind," he said.

She listened, and could hear what he meant. The voice sounded familiar, almost out of a dream.

"It's Saruman," she thought she heard her father say. "He's trying to bring down the mountain."

She tried to say that it couldn't be Saruman, but a huge rumble drowned her out. Suddenly, she was buried in snow, fighting to breathe, working her way up and out. The others soon followed and began to debate whether to go through the mines of Moria, but they were losing time quickly as the temperature continued to drop. Finally, Frodo made his decision.

"We will go through the mines," he stated.

They were back down on solid ground by that evening, January 12th. Just before they went to sleep, however, Legolas approached her.

"Up on the mountain," he asked, "Why did you think that it wasn't Saruman?"

"I don't know," she replied. "I would have sworn I've heard that voice before, but I don't know where. Why doesn't Gandalf want to go into the mines?"

"There are rumors of something down there. Some sort of demon, I don't what," he said. "Hopefully we won't meet it. We'll just have to deal with the dwarves."

"Oh dear," she said, stars glittering.

They reached the gate the next afternoon, though it did them little good: they were unable to open them. The company sat around, waiting.

"Shouldn't a dwarf come out soon?" Mornie asked Legolas.

"Not likely," he shook his head. "Dwarves won't come out unless they have a very good reason."

They watched Aragorn speaking to Boromir and then turning to Merry and Pippin.

"Do you think he'll ever do it?" Legolas asked.

"Do what?"

"Become King of Gondor."

Suddenly, the gates opened, and the company entered. Gimli was boasting about the "hospitality of Dwarves." She felt a coldness and strong smell steal over her, which she first thought was simply because of being underground before she saw the bodies surrounding them. Legolas went over to one and pulled out an arrow.

"Goblins," he said, and they drew their swords, ready to fight.

She heard the screams before she could turn and see what was happening. Something was dragging Frodo backwards out of the gateway. Sam called for her father to help, but she knew he could not face this alone, so she immediately followed him out. She took his lead as he slashed the tentacles of the monster. She heard the arrows of Legolas cutting through air and flesh above her as Boromir joined them. At last it dropped Frodo, and they ran back into the mines as Legolas covered them, the last one inside. The monster collapsed the entrance, and it became utterly dark, with the sound of panting the only sign of life. Gandalf broke the silence, as he illuminated his staff.

"We now have only one choice," he said grimly. "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world. It is three days' journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."

As they drew down deeper into the dark, the silence began to press in around them. It was almost too quiet: there was no sight or sound of the goblins that had wrecked havoc on the Dwarves. On the second night, it was Mornie's watch. She sat alone with the flickering torch, but within an hour she realized that it was not the only light. Frodo's sword, Sting, was shining blue, warning the proximity of orcs. She doused the torch; now she could hear the echoing footsteps coming nearer. She awakened Legolas, who immediately recognized the orcs approach and motioned for her to remain behind as he went out. Sting's light faded, so, when only the tiniest inkling of light gleamed, she relit the torch. Shortly afterward, Legolas entered.

"Dead?" she whispered, but he shook his head.

"Only led away."

The next day, the Company reached Dwarrowdelf. The greatness of the city could easily be seen, even without its people. The columns reached as high as the oldest trees. Indeed, it seemed like a forest without water or sunlight. Then what was that dot of light in the distance? It seemed like sunlight, but that was impossible. And yet, that is what it was. Who living knew through how many rooms that beam had passed to reach this chamber? There it was, shining upon the tomb of Balin, lord of Moria. The room was filled with skeletons, one holding an ancient, huge book.

"We must move on. We cannot linger," she heard Legolas say.

Gandalf gave his things to Pippin and picked up the book as Gimli mourned.

"They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming."

At that precise moment, Pippin knocked a skeleton and its armor down a well. It echoed and echoed and echoed as it dropped deeper and deeper and deeper. Finally, there was silence.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf said. "Why don't you through yourself down next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

Pippin looked sorry, but there was no time to tell. The clattering that had echoed down was now followed by drums echoing up. This was what the dwarf had meant by the "drums in the deep." Mornie could feel it. The cries of orcs drew closer with the drumming, and Sting shone blue. Boromir ran to the door. Two arrows came whizzing out of the darkness, trying to hit him. Mornie followed Legolas and Aragorn to Boromir as he closed the door, and they barred it with the fallen spears and axes of the dwarves.

"They have a cave troll," Boromir observed.

They prepared for battle. The hobbits stayed behind Gandalf, Gimli mounted Balin's tomb, Boromir drew his sword, and Mornie, Legolas and Aragorn drew their bows to shoot down the first wave of the enemy. Orc axes sliced holes in the door, just big enough for an Elf to shoot an arrow through, which both did. The cave troll, however, was just behind them; it broke down the door, and the true fighting began.


	5. Chapter 5

Mornie nearly felt the adrenaline coursing through her body as she found the strength time and again to cut down wave after wave of orcs and then fight against the troll whenever it turned to her. She saw an orc headed for Frodo, who was turned to fight another. At the same time that her sword met its neck, Legolas' arrow pierced its skull. She didn't have time for wondering, though. She had heard the footstep of an orc too close behind her. In a millisecond her sword was turned and pressing against its armor, holding it back as her dagger rose to its neck before she was on to fight more. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father stumble. She turned to see the troll threatening him, but she was useless. From this distance, the troll would hardly feel her arrow. She didn't know why, but she saw the troll's stolen spear thrust through Frodo instead. In a moment, Legolas was on top of it, and, with his arrows and the hobbits' rocks hitting it, it soon fell. They gathered around what she presumed to be the body of Frodo, but bodies can't speak.

"I'm alright," he said.

"You should be dead," Aragorn observed. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar."

"I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye," Gandalf said.

She had seen a picture of it in a book once and had heard other Elves singing of it a few times before. She had always wanted to see it, but she wondered if it even existed any longer. This was a shirt of mithril.

However, there was little time to wonder. More orcs were close behind the firsts, so they ran. They ran straight to the enemy. In moments, they were surrounded by hundreds, then thousands, then hundreds of thousands of orcs. She prepared herself for death, to take as many with her as possible. A strange noise echoed around the hall. The orcs screeched then began to run, scurrying back up the posts they had descended from. The Company turned to face the light of a fire around the corner.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked. The entire fellowship held its breath, waiting an eternity to hear Gandalf's answer. A growl echoed around the stone.

"A Balrog," Gandalf said, "a demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!"

And they began to run again. Boromir lead them, straight to the edge of a fiery chasm, even into it had not Legolas saved him.

"Lead them on, Aragorn," Gandalf commanded. "The Bridge is near. Do as I say! Swords are of no use here."

And they continued to run.

"So basically," Mornie asked Legolas, "We're running through empty halls that should be filled with people, from something that shouldn't exist anymore?"

"You got it," Legolas said, throwing a smile over his shoulder. Mornie smiled back and pushed on a hobbit who was beginning to lag.

They shortly came to a long flight of steps, slowly turning downward. This wasn't a problem until they reached a gap. Legolas jumped first, Mornie followed quickly, then Gandalf, and Boromir with the two younger hobbits. The gap widened. Orcs began to fire arrows, but Mornie and Legolas answered with better-aimed shots. Aragorn flung Sam across, and Gimli followed, barely making it on his own. Another stone hurtled down, breaking the stairway behind Aragorn and Frodo and causing it to sway. It went back and forth a few times, and Mornie wanted to cry out to her father, but smoke and ash began to fill her lungs. Finally, the pillar hit the rest of the stairway, and Frodo and Aragorn joined the Company. Soon, they all were back on level ground.

"Over the bridge," Gandalf yelled as they rounded the corner. "Fly!"

Mornie felt the vibration of the stone beneath her but did not dare to look behind her, knowing that it would slow her down. Pippin, however, was not so wise. He screamed and froze; Legolas grabbed his arm, reawakening him. The bridge was tiny, but they couldn't slow down. Mornie finished the crossing and knew a few steps later that the ones behind her had also made it. She turned to confirm, but she was wrong. Gandalf stood alone in the center of the bridge with the Balrog towering over him like a tall, ancient tree of fire. She faintly heard Gandalf's cries, and saw the shield of light extend from his staff. She saw the Balrog bring its sword crashing down to split his head, but the light repelled it. It roared in frustration. Its whip cracked. Gandalf smote the bridge, and the Balrog went tumbling down into the abyss. Gandalf turned to leave, but it wasn't finished. Its whip reached up like a tongue and ensnared him. He fell, first clutching the edge of the bridge.

"Gandalf!" Frodo cried, and tried to reach him, but Boromir stopped him.

"Fly, you fools," Gandalf said. Then that was it. He was just gone.

Another arrow bounced off Mornie's sword, which she still held in her hand. She fired another back, and turned to leave, knowing it would hit its mark. Legolas was behind her, then her father. She could see daylight again, and it gave her new strength for the last run. At last, they were out. But not all of them.

Something in her wouldn't believe. Something in her couldn't believe, no matter how hard she tried to convince it. She heard her father and Boromir talking, but she didn't care what they were saying. She had to believe it.

She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Legolas standing in front of her.

"Mornie," he said, "let's go."

She nodded. Nearly all the others were almost ready. She realized that her sword was again still in her hand. As she sheathed it, she remembered Glamdring, Gandalf's sword, defying the Balrog. She pushed the thought away and began to journey onwards.

Mornie had lost track of the time. She had been busy keeping the hobbits at a steady speed and trying to ignore the obvious. But the important part was that they had reached Lorien. The remnant of the Company slowed as it entered the forest. They continued along the set path in single-file. Gimli was complaining to the hobbits about the Elf-witch that lives there, so Mornie turned around to correct him, but, as she did, she faced the left side of the path. Something caught her eye farther back in the woods. It was only a flash, too brief to be placed, but something was wrong. Mornie caught Aragorn's eye and gently inclined her head to left, telling him that she wanted to investigate something there. Aragorn gave her a slight nod, and she was quickly and silently off the path. As she continued through the trees, she saw the flash again. She followed it, as it turned right, and then left twice, and straight, and… it kept turning. She lost her sense of direction and began to slow, trying to orient herself. Unfortunately, it was too late. As she passed a tree, somebody grabbed her from behind, holding her hands tight and covering her mouth so she wouldn't scream. Screaming was not quite her plan. Her elbow flew back into his stomach and her foot came down hard on his. Her sword and dagger came out immediately, blocking her second and third attackers. It was the fourth that she didn't plan for. She could feel the sharp metal against her back

"Put the weapons down," a voice murmured in her ear.

She smiled, and slowly lowered her weapons to the ground. Kneeling down, she looked up at the second and third. Then she jumped, hitting both in the chest and twisting in mid-air to land on the other side of the fourth. She took off running, but there was only one way open, and that ended after a few yards in a tall rock face. She jumped up it, but it didn't give her enough height. She felt a hand grab her ankle, so she kicked out. The pressure loosened, and she began to climb higher, but them there it was again, pulling her down. Her hand slipped, and she fell, landing on all fours. She felt a knee in her back that pinned her against the ground. Her hands were tied roughly, and a blindfold wrapped around her head. Then her attacker pulled her up by her shoulder, practically pulling it out of its socket.

"March," the fourth again commanded her.

She took stock of her situation. She had been separated from the rest of the Company; she was lost in a land where she had never been before; she knew her attackers were other Elves; there was a good chance that the others had been captured, so she would also probably be taken to them. So she marched.

All Mornie knew was that they were getting deeper into the forest. She had grown up in a forest, and she could feel it growing steadily colder as the trees drew closer together. It was a few hours before she acknowledged the ache. There had been little rest in Moria or before, but she pushed away the weariness. In the dark, she listened carefully for some sound of the company. Every now and then, one of her escorts would push her, so she knew they were still there. They continued to walk. Finally, one of them grabbed her arm and stopped.

"Lord Haldir," the fourth said. Footsteps drew closer.

"By Manwë," the answering voice came, "what happened to your eye?"

"She happened, sir," Four said. "Put up a good fight."

"She's obviously not one of ours," Haldir said.

"No, sir," Four replied, "which made me think that she might be-"

"Yes, very possible indeed. I'll take her from here."

Mornie felt a hand on her arm, leading her gently this time. They rounded a corner.

"Is this one of yours?" Haldir asked someone.

"Yes," Mornie recognized her father's voice. "That would be my daughter."

"Then that would explain her attack on my men," Haldir said as he untied her hands.

"Attack?" Mornie spluttered as she undid the blindfold. "That was self-defense. They attacked first."

"We were defending our borders," Four said.

"Well, you don't think you could have announced your presence instead of leading me through half the forest," she said, rubbing her wrists. She glanced at him and winced. "I am sorry about your eye, though."

"Enough for now," Aragorn said. "Go join the others. We'll talk about this later."

"Yes, Adda," she responded and followed in the direction he had gestured to the others.

"What happened to you?" Pippin asked immediately.

"Great to see you again, too," Mornie said, "but I met some new friends." She turned to Legolas. "Why are we waiting here?"

"Your father is trying to convince them to let us further in. They fear the power of It."

"Then I guess my reappearance probably didn't help much, if you heard."

"I heard."

Haldir approached a few seconds later.

"You will follow me," he said.

Mornie ran to catch up with her father.

"I'm sorry, Adda," she said.

"Sorry for what?" he asked. "Haldir was quite impressed with you."

"Impressed? In a good sense?

"That is generally what impressed means."

Mornie's stars glittered.

Caras Galadhon was more beautiful than anything Mornie could have expected. She loved the ancient trees, the soft lights hanging in them. They began climb the steps that wrapped up one of the trees. After a few minutes, Mornie looked down, and caught her breath. She had just realized how high up they had climbed.

A while later, Haldir stopped on a landing. They turned to face the wide steps nearby. A woman and man began to descend down them. Each step seemed to shine as the woman stepped upon it. She seemed to be light itself. This must be Galadriel. Mornie was filled with awe, but then became aware of herself. Even her name was the opposite of hers. She could not raise her eyes to meet hers. However, to her surprise, Celeborn spoke first.

"The enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secret is now gone. Eight there are here, yet nine there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from afar."

No one had the courage to answer him, save Galadriel. Mornie knew in the back of her mind that her voice was light and sweet, but to her it sounded harsh and grating, to the point of pain.

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land," she heard Galadriel say. "He has fallen into shadow."

"He was taken by both shadow and flame," Legolas explained, "a Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life," Galadriel replied. "We do not yet know his full purpose. Do not let the emptiness of Khazad-dum fill your heart, Gimli, son of Gloin," she said, turning to the dwarf. "For the world has grown full of peril, and, in all lands, love is now mingled with grief."

"What now becomes of the Fellowship?" Celeborn asked. "Without Gandalf, hope is lost."

"The quest now stands upon the edge of a knife," Galadriel warned. "Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight, you will sleep in peace."

The others began to file out, lead by one of the Elves.

"Mornie," she heard Galadriel address her. She stopped. "And Legolas. Tomorrow night, we are having a meeting of songs and tales, much like that which you knew to take place in the Hall of Fire, Mornie. We would ask that the two of you join us."

"We shall, my lady," Legolas replied for the both of them, and they bowed and followed the others. Mornie had never looked Galadriel in the eye.

No copyright infringement intended. All quotes, etc. belong to their rightful owners. Don't laugh. Maybe I watch YouTube too much.


	6. Chapter 6

Mornie was tired, and, somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she was safe. Yet still, she could not shake her instinctive warning of danger and enemies. She distracted herself with the Elves' lament for Gandalf, but, instead of relaxing her, it seemed to sharpen her senses. She focused, trying to locate the origin of her fear. She could hear the singing; fallen leaves disturbed by footsteps; a few of the company rolling out their beds; Gimli's snoring, which sounded too much like the drums in Moria. Perhaps that was it, enough of a reason to pass off her foreboding onto it; at least, until the snoring stopped and the sense remained. She lay down and tried to sleep, but instead just tossed and turned. After a time, she quietly sat up. The singing had stopped, and those around her had fallen asleep. She walked out, alone, hoping to find rest. She stopped by a small, secluded pool, separated for bathing, and she remembered the days and nights of trudging above and under the earth, so she gently washed some of the earth away, wishing that the sense would join it. She unbraided her hair for the first time in many days and combed her fingers through it. Suddenly, she heard quiet voices approaching. She drew aside to avoid notice.

"I don't care what Haldir thinks," she recognized Four. "It's quite queer for a girl her age, let alone an Elven maiden at all, to fight that well."

"You don't have to tell me, Mablung," Two or Three said. "I felt her kick, too."

They passed her hiding place, continuing their conversation. Mornie considered their words. She had learned to fight as a Ranger, so they were probably the only few who were as good as she, but they had no elves and few women in their history. That was the reason, surely. She decided it was time to return to the others and try to sleep, so she braided her hair again as she walked back. That time, she did fall asleep, the sense quieted, if not silenced.

When she and Legolas noticed most of the other Elves convening on a particular talan, they joined them. Mornie wasn't particularly thrilled for the occasion, she normally avoided such things in Rivendell, but going was the polite action to take. They began with the usual songs, tales she had heard many times before, of Beren and Luthien, Nimrodel, and Eärendil. After a short while, however, Galadriel called upon Legolas. His voice weaved a tale of a warrior, who had fame and glory, but who was so often lonely. The song didn't truly end, just with a question: will the warrior find love? Mornie had never heard this song before in Rivendell, so she concluded that it was a song of Mirkwood. She didn't have long to ponder it though, for Galadriel asked her to sing next. Mornie was surprised: she had never been given this chance before because she was considered to be too young. She stood, knowing that she wanted to sing a story for her father, but as she opened her mouth, a haze seemed come before her, preventing her from starting. She tried to breathe through it, but it remained as strong as ever. Galadriel must have seen it, for Mornie heard her voice echoing around her.

"Let it in, child," Galadriel said. "Let it speak. It is always most difficult the first time."

Mornie had been fighting it, but now she closed her eyes and relaxed. She opened her mouth, and words she could not at first understand poured out.

_Ristais duath,_

_Tellin i neder;_

_Gurth renia._

_Meditha han phan, meditha ardhon._

_Nerchennin o chuil,_

_Coll am na waewath goeyl._

_Tellin i neder;_

_Gurth renia._

Shreds of shadow,

The Nine have come;

Death has taken wing.

He will eat it all, eat all the world.

Torn from life,

Borne aloft by fell winds,

The Nine have come;

Death has taken wing.

Mornie began to fall, exhausted, but Legolas caught her. Galadriel rose to speak.

"It is not the first time we have had a farsight amidst our songs and tales," she said. "But this matter is for morning's light. Tonight, we continue in song."

"Your first time?" Legolas quietly asked Mornie; trying to catch her breath, she could only nod. "It is odd for the first time to tell of so great an enemy as the Wraiths; but these are evil times, and, if you are from a strong family…" he trailed off, just remembering her unknown background.

"It's fine," Mornie reassured him. "Perhaps I am and was simply lost." She did not really believe this, though; a strong family would have searched high and low for a normal daughter.

She discovered how drained she was as she listened to the beautiful, calming music. She allowed it to gently lull her to sleep. She relaxed her head on one of the upright branches of the mallorn tree, but, once she fell asleep, it fell on to Legolas' shoulder next to her. He waited a few minutes to make sure she was properly asleep, and then he gently picked her up and carried her back to the "camp." Aragorn was waiting up.

"She's had quite a night," Legolas said, "but I won't steal any of her thunder. You'll have to hear about it in the morning."

Aragorn nodded, and Legolas returned to the gathering. When he sat back down, the Elf next to him addressed him.

"You know, if you really like her," he said, "you have to act on it. That's the only way you'll know if she likes you too, right?"

"I never thought about that aspect of it," Legolas said and dwelt on it throughout the remnant of the evening.

Mornie was the first to awaken the next morning. As she remembered the power of her first farsight, she wondered at any other new abilities. She had tried so hard for that and thought it impossible, but perhaps now…perhaps now. She rose silently and found an isolated place where no one could see her. She rolled up her sleeve to above her elbow. A faint line was there, easily mistaken for the shadow of her arm without looking closely. She took out her dagger and slit open the old scar. As the blood flowed out, she concentrated on healing her arm. She waited for the blood flow to stop, but to no avail. She could not perform even the simplest of healing tasks.

"Mornie?" said a voice behind her. Pulling down her sleeve and hiding the dagger, she turned to see Legolas. "Galadriel wants to see you now, as well as your father and me."

"All right, I'll be there in just a moment," Mornie told him. Once he had left, she sliced off a bit of moss and placed it over her cut to hide the blood. Then she hurried off to join the others.

"So why are you going to see her?" she heard Pippin asking.

"Simply because she summoned us," Aragorn replied.

"But why did she summon you?" Mornie saw Aragorn shrug in response and turned to Legolas. He, since he had seen Mornie enter, gestured to her.

"You probably wouldn't understand the whole of it," she tried to explain. "I… whatever you want to call it, I grew up last night."

"And for those of us who will understand?" Aragorn asked.

"Adda, I had my first farsight last night."

"Oh," he seemed unsure of what to say. "Well, that would explain the summons. Speaking of which, we need to be moving."

Again, Celeborn was the first to speak.

"This is our best solution, Mornie," he said. "We know that the physical appearances of the Nine were destroyed. We propose that their new bodies, if you will, somehow give them the ability to fly. Do you remember anything that would help? What did you see?"

Mornie closed her eyes, uncertain.

"It was all black," she said. "But at the end, the blackness seemed to be trying to make a shape. I couldn't make it out."

"Perhaps with some guidance," Galadriel said quietly.

Mornie could feel her walking amid her memory of last night. She brought up the black shape again. The picture seemed to start to focus, and soon wings could be discerned from the darkness. Then the focusing stopped. Nothing more could be made out. Mornie felt Galadriel move away from that memory and into others, probably hoping to find a clue. She began to try to get into the memory of that morning, and Mornie shut her out, having no other way to ask for privacy. She felt Galadriel's surprise, then her voice inside her head.

"I'm going to try something, Mornie," she said. "It might hurt a bit, but not much. Prepare."

Mornie strengthened the wall and kept her eyes shut. She could feel the push against it, but it was only fire against stone. The pressure decreased, but then a sudden burst of light filled her mind. She physically flew back. In her mind, she saw Galadriel resurrect forgotten memories. She felt the rocking of a small boat as a woman's face hovered over her.

"I'm sorry, my daughter," said the most familiar and unknown voice. "I wish I could go with you, but they are coming. The river will take you to safety."

There was a gently push as the boat rocked deeper into the stream. The water around her was loud, but Mornie could make out orc voices above it. She heard the woman scream.

"Mother, no!" Mornie awakened as if from a dream. Her father was sitting next to her, his face creased with worry, then relaxed. Legolas was just behind him, but she pushed them both away as she stood.

"My lady, please," she begged Galadriel. "Did you recognize her? Did you recognize my mother?"

"I am sorry," Galadriel replied. "I saw only an older version of you. You must look just like her." She tried to smile, but it did not console Mornie. She concentrated on the image of her mother. Yes, Mornie was similar to her, but her mother had many more worries and cares on her face. But there was love there too, love that Mornie had never known, never understood, never even fully longed for, until now. A lonely, scared woman, but dangerous for the one she loved: her daughter. Mornie realized that she had had that love: the unknown love. Suddenly, she felt something looking for her. It was powerful, and it was from her beginnings, but it was dark. But she was dark too. She tried to search for it as well. She was almost there when-

"Mornie?" she felt her father's strong hands on her shoulders. "Mornie, look at me." The power was gone. Mornie looked for it again. "Mornie Ar-Feniel." She opened her eyes, and Aragorn recognized a new glitter in the stars.

"I saw her, Adda. I saw my mother."

"That's good, Mornie. Are you sure that you are all right?"

"I'm fine, Adda. Why? What's the matter?"

Mornie noticed that she had taken a few steps to the southwest.

"Oh."

"What happened, Mornie?"

"I'm not sure. Someone was looking for me, calling for me; someone important."

"I felt a strange power," Galadriel said. "A black power. If he seeks for you, if he calls for you again, best not to answer him yet."

"Yes, milady," Mornie sighed.

The Fellowship remained in Lothlorien for many more days. On the day of their departure, Galadriel gave gifts to them. Coming to Mornie, she brought forth a simple silver chain with an unusually large oval ruby on it.

"Do you know what this is?"

"I think it might be the necklace of Kamiliel, the greatest Elven warrior-maiden."

"You are correct. Do you know its story?"

"It was said that Kamiliel gave it to a friend for safe-keeping just before she went across the Sea; that the friend was entrusted with it until she could find the heir of Kamiliel, though Kamiliel had never had children; that the necklace would aid this heir in battle in ways yet unknown."

"I was Kamiliel's friend, the one who was to protect this and give it to her heir."

"And you believe that I am the heir?"

"Not a blood-heir, perhaps, but I believe that you are her heir in spirit."

Mornie gently took the necklace. The ruby was cold and hard, but when she slipped it over her head and inside her tunic, it felt comfortable.

"Thank you, Lady Galadriel," was all she could manage.

No copyright infringement intended. All lyrics, etc. belong to their rightful owners.


	7. Chapter 7

Mornie rode in the last boat with Legolas and Gimli as the Fellowship floated down the Great River. She wasn't precisely enjoying herself: the idea of sitting perfectly still for long periods of time didn't quite fit her personality. She heard Legolas and Gimli speaking behind her. She scanned the riverbanks for – well, anything besides just trees.

She closed her eyes and listened for anything besides just the rush of the river and the plop of the oars. She sat in that manner for quite sometime, listening to the echo of the oar. But oars don't echo, she immediately realized. There was another oar, just behind them. She whirled around, but there was nothing behind them, and there was no bend in the river for quite sometime; just a log, floating lazily. She listened for the other oar, but there was nothing now.

"Mornie," Legolas asked, "What is it?"

She scanned the river again.

"Nothing," she said at last. "I must have fallen asleep and dreamt of something."

"Well, you should talk then," he replied. "What was your gift?"

"The necklace of Kamiliel," she said calmly. Legolas' oar missed a beat.

"Who's Kamliel?" Gimli asked.

"Kamiliel. I thought she would have made it into your tales," Mornie said, surprised.

"She was too recent," Legolas explained. "By the time she was born, the Dwarves no longer dealt with the Elves."

"She was one of the best warrior maidens, if not the best," Mornie said. "Her necklace will aid her heir when that heir discovers true strength. She fought many dragons, took down Eastern armies single-handed, -"

Legolas coughed slightly. "Not quite single-handed."

"True. There was a group of her closest friends who followed her, did everything with her. And she was sometimes joined by others. I remember one story, one of my favorites, about how she defeated an army of the Khandhrim with the aid of a prince of Mirkw-" she broke off and stared at Legolas. "'Not quite single-handed,'" she repeated. "You? You're the one who killed the Oliphants, who laughed in the face of their king, who brought their pride crashing down, so that she could destroy them completely?"

"Well, I don't know if I would put it quite like that," he answered, "but I did laugh in the face of the king, slay a few Oliphants, and some other things. When I first met Kamiliel, in peace-time, she seemed to be nothing incredible, but a single, round flame shone around her neck. I would like to see it again, if you don't mind."

In the excitement, Mornie had almost forgotten the sound of the other oar; but, as she put her hand on the chain to pull out the jewel, something caught her eye. The log had shifted slightly, probably just in a separate current.

"Maybe once we set up camp," she said. "There's something about this water."

Legolas nodded.

Mornie waited until after the short dinner. Even then, she withdrew behind one of the large boulders, separating them from the River. She pulled her braid to her right side, unclasped the necklace, and handed it to Legolas. The light of the setting sun caught the ruby, making it gleam. Legolas stared at it, his mind wandering back into memory.

"The Lady was right," he said at last. "You are her heir."

He separated the two ends of the chains and gently passed his hands around her neck, clasping the necklace as he stepped closer to her. His left hand slipped forward on her neck, while with the right he tucked one of her stray hairs behind her ear, looking into her eyes. His fingers slid down along the side of her chin and lifted her face towards his. Mornie, who had stood still, relaxed and confused as this happened in an instant, now reacted. Her stars flashed as he bent down to kiss her. Pushing him away, she sprang back. She glanced at him once more before running into the woods for solitude.

Night had fallen and most of the Company was asleep when she returned. One hobbit sat awake on guard.

"Rest," she said. "I will take your guard. I would not sleep anyway."

"I know why," came Frodo's small voice. "I saw."

"Do not think that this changes my strength to protect you," Mornie said slowly, after a pause. "Love shall not affect me."

"You see love as a weakness, then?"

"Of course. It lessens your ability to fight, it distracts, and it hurts. I feel it, even now. It burns where his fingers touched my neck. I have seen it, in ones too close to me. He let her almost get in the way of saving you when you were wounded on Weathertop. And for no rational reason. He will never see her again."

"You speak of your father and the Lady Arwen."

"I do, indeed, all-seer."

"If, then, love is so dangerous, why are you so close to your father?"

"Loyalty, and a debt. He saved me as an infant; he taught me everything I know."

"Does not love come in many forms?"

"Aye, making it all the more dangerous. Loyalty is not one of them. It is a virtue among warriors. I am sure that you know more in ways of peace, but, for the ways of a warrior - Though perhaps if you are strong enough to carry It, you may know what is needed for strength."

"You say that only as a courtesy."

"Did anyone notice I was gone?" she asked after another pause.

"Yes; your father did so around twilight. Legolas told him that you had gone for a walk to discover the land."

"Was he angry?"

"Which? Well, that doesn't matter, for neither of them was. Legolas seemed disappointed, though possibly in himself; Aragorn looked slightly worried, but only for a moment. Perhaps I shall take your advice and sleep. Gimli was to take watch next."

The next few days were awkward, as Mornie was confined to a boat with Legolas. Sometimes she pitied Gimli, thinking of his confusion at the sudden chill in the boat. But then again, she considered the possibility of Frodo not being the only one who had seen. They passed nine more days simply floating along, paddling for steering only. The ninth day, they passed the Argonath. She was filled with the splendor of Gondor, and respect for the great stone figures towering over her. Aragorn alone seemed to grow taller, while the rest shrunk in fear. He looked proud as he gazed upon his ancestors. Once they passed through, Mornie could see the extent of the lake stretched out before them, ending in the falls of Rauros. They landed on the western bank towards the southern end of the lake. Mornie longed for the chance to leave the boats, even at the expense of easy travel. Yet the others would not agree, and she said nothing as they prepared for the remainder of the day and the full night of rest before setting off to the eastern shore and the Emyn Muil.

It wasn't long before the rest discovered that both Frodo and Boromir were missing. As the group split up to find them, Mornie knew where she would go. She went up the slope some ways and then began to look for a tall tree. She climbed it quickly, gaining height above the other trees. One thing immediately struck her: a huge, trampling mass of movement. This could only be orcs. She had to warn her father. But, once she located him atop Amon Hen, she realized that he had no need of the warning because the orcs would reach him long before she could. But there was another mass of movement closer to three smaller ones: Boromir and the younger hobbits. She knew that they would need aid more than Aragorn, who was soon to be aided by Legolas and Gimli. Of Frodo there was no sign, and Sam was down along the riverbank. She might have wondered at this, had she had time, but she was too focused on reaching Boromir. As she landed back on the ground, she heard his horn sounding, begging for help. She ran as fast as she could, but in vain, for she was met half-way. Not by Boromir, but by the hobbits, taken captive and carried by the "orcs". She faltered when she saw them. They were huge, both in size and number. They hesitated too. They spoke to each other.

"The dark Elf," they said, "another Saruman wanted."

She didn't have time to wonder at this, as they were on her in an instant. She slew a few, but she was quickly overwhelmed and knocked down. They tied her hands behind her back and took her weapons, light pack, and cloak, leaving them lying in the dirt. She struggled against them as they pulled her to her feet, but one had a whip. She felt the strands lash across her back, but still she fought. The second stroke brought tears to her eyes as they half-dragged her along. The sixth made her cry out. She had stopped struggling after the fourth and had begun to run, pointless in struggling. She assumed the final two were just a warning to keep running.

Aragorn reached Boromir in time to speak to him. After he breathed his last, a tiny glimmer caught Aragorn's eye. He followed the path of the Uruk-hai to where he found Mornie's weapons and cloak.

The trees soon turned into rock, and the rock into fields. The whip lashed Mornie's back many times when she stumbled or began to lag, which happened often running on no food or water. And sometimes it lashed for no reason at all, except that its holder was an uruk. Yet, at the same time, she found consolation in it, since when the focus was on her, it wasn't on the two hobbits. She knew that she had failed in aiding the Bearer. She knew that no one was coming for her, because those who knew they were gone would choose to protect the Bearer over her. She didn't blame them; she would do the same. She knew that there was only one thing that she could do now: protect Merry and Pippin for as long as she was able. However, she found there was little punishment, only a few more lashes, for taking out a few uruks at a time.

It was three days before they stopped for more than a few minutes, near the forest of Fangorn. Her legs ached and her head reeled. If they had made her stand, she would have fallen. She sat down and landed on her back, and she felt again every whip lash. But, lying there on the ground, she discovered something. It was an old skill that her father had taught her, the ability to discern the secrets that the earth whispers. Now she could hear it. The earth whispered to her its secret: something was coming, and it wasn't far away. She needed to act quickly. She spotted Merry and Pippin not far away. They, however, seemed to have things under control. Before long, they had all of their captors completely absorbed in something besides them. She worked to get her hands free. By the time she got the rope off and looked up, Merry and Pippin were heading into the forest. However, they were closely pursued by one of the Mordor orcs. At that moment, the earth's secret arrived: riders of Rohan. Her plan failed, though, at the danger of Merry and Pippin. Dodging arrows, she followed them into Fangorn.

Her exhaustion soon overpowered her. She tried to follow Merry and Pippin, but they soon lost her as they dodged to avoid the orc, and she could not track in the dark. But still she stumbled on, trying to run from any orcs that might seek the shelter of the wood from the fight. Dawn came, and she was utterly lost. Her head swam, and she was unable to locate her position. She knew she needed strength, so she staggered on, trying to find a stream or a plant that she knew was edible. This forest was strange to her, and she found neither. About mid-day, she heard a few sets of foot falls behind her. She hid behind a large bush, but the footsteps continued to draw nearer. She had picked up a rock to defend her self from the orc, when Legolas stepped into view. She felt the rock slip from her hand as she fell to her knees.

She must have passed out. When she opened her eyes, Gandalf and her father were leaning over her. She hadn't realized how dry her throat was until she tried to speak. She swallowed, but it only helped her whisper one word.

"Water," she asked. Aragorn gently supported her back as she lifted her head to drink. The lack of pain at his touch vaguely registered. She swished the water around in her mouth, looking first to Gandalf, then to her father, to Legolas and Gimli just behind him, and back to Gandalf, who looked different. She addressed her next statement to him.

"Tastes real enough," she observed, the slightest questioning tone in her voice. "So this is a realistic dream."

"I assure you, my dear girl," he smiled, "that this is quite real."

"Then I can assure you, Mithrandir," she replied, "that I am quite alright enough, and we ought to be moving on to help the young hobbits. They are being pursued by one of the orcs from the main group." She tried to stand, but her head spun. She sat back down and drank more water, her annoyance mounting at those uruk-hai.

"Merry and Pippin will be protected, for now," Gandalf explained, helping Mornie to her feet. At his touch, the pain left her.

"In which case, you should be wanting these," Legolas held out her things. Her stars glittered upon seeing her sword, and she took the small bundle he gave her. But when her hands gently brushed his, the glitter was gone, and a slight shimmer of anger replaced it. She did not make eye contact. She stepped behind the bush to slip a new tunic on and remove the one torn by the whip.

"One stage of your journey is over, another begins," she heard Gandalf saying. "We must travel to Edoras with all speed." She stepped back out, replacing her weapons.

"Edoras?" Gimli asked. "That is no short distance!"

"We hear of trouble in Rohan," her father said, as they began to walk again. "It goes ill with the king."

"Yes," Gandalf replied, "and it will not be easily cured."

"Then we have run all this way for nothing?" Gimli complained. "Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank, tree-infested –" the trees seemed to growl at him. "I mean, charming, quite charming forest."

Mornie rolled her eyes, having almost missed the dwarf. Legolas caught her eye for a second while they shared the joke, before she broke their gaze, remembering.

"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn," Gandalf rebuked him. "A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."

"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend," Aragorn said. "You still speak in riddles." Gandalf laughed.

"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder days," he said. "The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong."

"Strong?!" Gimli asked. "Oh, that's good."

"So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf," Gandalf concluded. "Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."

"This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one," Gimli added, and they followed Gandalf out of the forest.

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	8. Chapter 8

Mornie blinked in the sunlight; she hadn't fully realized the gloominess of the forest. Gandalf whistled, and, for a moment, all they could hear was the wind combing through the grass; then came a whinny and two echoes, strong enough to be their own. First, through the tall grass and over rolling hills galloped a pure white horse, beautiful and majestic above all other horses.

"That is one of the Mearas," Legolas said, "unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Two horses followed the first: one a dark chestnut, the other a dirty white compared to the first.

"Shadowfax," Gandalf caressed the first. "He is the lord of all horses and has been my friend through many dangers."

The others seemed to already know their horses. Legolas lifted Gimli up first and sprang lightly up in front of him onto the white, Arod; Aragorn climbed up onto the chestnut Hasufel and held out his hand to help Mornie up in front of him, which she only used as a stepping stone for a moment. From there, they rode until sunset.

Mornie stared into the fire that she had made. Her father and Gandalf were studying the eastern sky where the red star could now be seen every night. Legolas and Gimli were talking quietly to each other or were silent, but that was only beneficial to her. She felt the pull, the same that she had felt in Lorien: the call of her home. She was much closer to it now, and it was somewhere to the northwest; but that was all she knew. She couldn't tell how far away it was. She stared into the fire to analyze her senses, but she was interrupted.

"What is your name?" Gimli asked.

"What?"

"Your real name," he repeated, "what is it?"

"Mornie."

"No, mornie is a word, not a name – what is your real name?"

She thought about the only name Arwen had ever called her: the name no one, except Arwen, had used in years: the name Aragorn had given her, not the nickname that her biological parents had left with her.

"Morwen," she answered. "Morwen Finduilas Ar-Feniel."

"That's a mouthful."

"Ask him," she shrugged, gesturing to where her father and Gandalf stood. Gimli didn't have to wait long if he wanted to ask. Aragorn returned shortly after. She stood, facing the northwest again and even taking a few steps toward it, until she turned, following the perimeter of the fire to Gandalf.

"Guidance or information?" he smiled.

"Information," Mornie smiled back. Gandalf had always been one of the few who could make her smile. "I want to know more about my origins."

"Ah!" he said. "I heard about your little event in Lothlorien. Do you still feel it here?"

"Yes, but it is stronger, as if I am closer. Gandalf, what is that way?" she pointed, her finger following the line of the call.

"The Shire, if you go far enough. But also, much closer, Dunland, the end of the Misty Mountains, and the Gap of Rohan."

"And Isengard. None of which have any Elves living near them." The silence stretched.

"Mornie," he said at last, "What I am about to ask you to do will be hard, but it is of the utmost importance. If we are going to win this war, we need unity: yes, between peoples and peoples and armies and armies, but also between person and person. I need you and Legolas to put aside and forget the past."

_Forget it?! He doesn't even know what happens; but he does believe that it doesn't matter in the place of unity. How can it not matter? I can still feel his hands on my neck and cheek, if I think about it. So what? He is right. We need unity. Especially where it is hard._

"I will do my best."

"That's all I need."

When she returned to the fire, her father had already lain down to sleep. Gimli was caught up in sharpening his ax, but Legolas looked up from sharpening his long knives.

_This is it. Put the past behind._

She took the stony glare out of her eyes, and replaced it with a soft look and an amiable face. She sat down at the same place and turned her eyes to the call. She didn't know what she was looking for – perhaps simply a light, or some kind of deeper sign – but she looked anyway. Only in the back of her mind did she recognize Legolas stand and walk to Gandalf. She kept looking.

"Do I need to go too? To Gandalf, I mean," Gimli asked.

"If you have a question," Mornie replied. "But it may or may not be answered. Or you might get a free piece of advice."

"Don't have a question," the dwarf grumbled, settling down. "Don't need any advice."

She glanced again to the northwest. Then, deciding her search was fruitless, she chose to join Aragorn and Gimli.

Legolas didn't speak for a long time. Neither did Gandalf.

"May I ask what happened?" the wizard spoke first; Legolas knew to what he was referring without asking.

"I did not listen to you," Legolas replied. "I acted to soon. She pulled away. And stayed away."

"I need the two of you together in this quest. I told her this too." He looked directly at Legolas. "An apology may be helpful."

"I tried to start, but she would never listen."

"She will now."

"You awake?" Legolas whispered.

_Put the past behind._

She opened her eyes and sat up.

"I need to tell you how sorry I am, about… that night."

"Sorry? Have your feelings changed toward me?" she cocked her head to the side, trying to keep her eyes from growing hard.

"No," he said, after a pause.

"Then you are not truly sorry. I do not care as much about your actions as your feelings, which you have already chosen. However, if it must be put behind, it must. So I will."

"And I will," he promised back. He did not say it, but she could read the implication: _as much as I can._

They easily reached Edoras the next day. She observed the decay, the loss of even a flag from the highest wall of Meduseld as it floated down, torn by the wind. They followed the main road up the hill. A Man waited at the foot of the steps leading up to the hall. Gandalf dismounted and entrusted Shadowfax to him. The rest followed his lead. A group of warriors approached them at the head of the steps.

"I cannot allow you before Théoden King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame," the leader said. "By order of Grima Wormtongue." Gandalf motioned for the others to disarm. Mornie willingly gave up her sword and simple hunting bow and arrows. Then, catching her father's eye, she slightly gestured to her hidden dagger. With the nod back, she handed that over as well.

"Your staff," the leader addressed Gandalf.

"Oh, you would not part an old man from his walking stick," he protested. Being on Aragorn's right side, Mornie also caught the wink sent to her father.

The doors clanged shut behind them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw men matching their steps through the hall, ready to attack. She tensed and relaxed her fingers slightly, just to warm up. Gandalf apparently also noticed the men.

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King," he said.

A pale man whispered into the ear of the old king. After a pause, he slowly responded.

"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?"

"Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear," the pale man said, descending from the dais. "Láthspell I name him. Ill news is an ill guest."

"Be silent. Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words from a witless worm," Gandalf said, threatening with his staff.

"His staff," the man said. "I told you to take the wizard's staff."

The men who had been following them rushed forward. Mornie jumped into action with the others, keeping them from reaching Gandalf. She tripped the first one who tried to go around in front of her. He was up in a second, but Aragorn was on him. One of them figured out that he needed to attack first. He tried to punch and kick at the same time so that she couldn't duck or jump. She flipped backwards, kicking his own hand back under his jaw, then gave him a right hook herself getting him out when he landed hard on the floor. She kicked the man behind him into a pillar, his head snapping back and knocking him unconscious. Then it was over. She shrugged and turned back to Gandalf.

"I release you from the spell," he said, stretching out his hand. And Théoden began to laugh.

"You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey," he said. Gandalf threw off his cloak. His unexpected brilliance caused her to take a half-step back. Glancing at the faces of the others, she could see that they had already known.

"I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound," he continued to approach the king, who gasped and writhed in his throne.

A lady in white ran from the back towards the king, but Aragorn caught her: "wait," he said quietly.

"If I go, Théoden dies," he gasped.

"You did not kill me, you will not kill him."

"Rohan is mine," Théoden said, strained, but he writhed back in his chair.

"Be gone."

Then, suddenly, the king seemed to leap forward, but Gandalf countered, and the king suddenly relaxed.

The lady ran up to him. The years seemed to fall away from the king, and he seemed strong again. They exchanged words and smiles, and then the king looked up.

"Gandalf?" he asked.

"Breathe the free air again, my friend," Gandalf replied.

Théoden looked out over his hall.

"Dark have been my dreams of late," he said. His gaze returned to his own hand.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better," Gandalf said, "if they grasped your sword."

Hama, the man who had met them at the top of the stairs, brought forth the sword. Théoden drew it from it sheath and gazed upon it, before remembering his anger. He immediately had Wormtongue thrown out of the hall and down one of the flight of steps. The people followed the king out of the hall.

"I've only ever served you, my lord," Wormtongue cowered.

"Your leech craft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast," Théoden replied.

"Send me not from your sight," the traitor pleaded. Théoden raised his sword and was about to strike when Aragorn stopped him.

"No, my lord," he said. "No, my lord. Let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account." Théoden raised his sword and stepped back. Aragorn offered his hand to Wormtongue, but he only spit on it and ran away.

"Hail, Théoden King!" Hama called out, and the people knelt before him. Mornie followed Legolas' example and bowed her head.

"Where is Théodred?" she heard the king ask. "Where is my son?"

For the funeral, Mornie followed the customs of the women, waiting near the tomb for the body. She stood quietly and respectfully as the body approached. The lady she had first seen, Eowyn, began the burial song. A few of the elder women joined in under their breath.

_Bealocwealm hafath* freone frecan forth onsended_

_Giedd sculon singan gleomenn sorgiende_

_On Meduselde _

_Thaet he ma no waere his dryhtne direst and maga deorost_

_Bealoc_

After most of the men returned to their houses, Mornie followed her father up the road. When they reached Meduseld, she stood next to a post near the bench where her father sat. Legolas came to stand next to her.

_Forget the past._

Eowyn sat down nearby, and they began to talk. Their conversation lasted for sometime before Gandalf entered.

All lyrics/quotes/etc. belong to their rightful owners.

*th= the anglo-saxon figure, uninsertable in Microsoft Word, apparently. Annoying.


	9. Chapter 9

Mornie was surprised by the youth of the older of the two children. He was too young to have taken his little sister so far on a battle horse, too young to have lost so much. This was her first realization of the horror war brought to innocents. War brought by Sauron and his puppet Saruman. She tried to aid in any way she could, but she had never been good at preparing food in a home or anything of that sort because she had never tried. She had always been more focused on her area of expertise, of forests, of hunting and fighting. However, she did know herbs that could help, and that she gladly gave.

"They had no warning," Eowyn said, after speaking to them. "They were unarmed. Now the wild men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot, and tree."

"Where is Mama?" the little girl asked.

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight," Gandalf said.

"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Eomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king," Aragorn added.

"They will be three hundred leagues from here by now. Eomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war," Théoden replied.

"Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not," Aragorn stated.

"When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn was king of Rohan," Théoden said with an edge in his voice. Mornie was about to respond when Legolas stopped her.

"Let them play this out," he whispered. "It is not worth it." Mornie stayed quiet.

"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asked.

They walked to the stables as Hama made the announcement.

"By order of the king," he cried, "the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need."

"Helm's Deep!" Gimli scoffed. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?"

"He's only doing what he thinks is best for his people," Aragorn explained. "Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."

With that, Legolas and Gimli turned to their horses, and Mornie joined them. She was brushing Hasufel when Eowyn came up to her.

"I have heard that you are in need of your own horse," she said. "Come, here is one. His name is Scyld."

There, a few stalls over, stood a beautiful black horse.

"I don't know how much experience with horses you have had, so I made sure that he is a docile horse."

"Oh my, isn't he handsome?" Mornie stroked his neck. Scyld bent down and nuzzled her hair, and Eowyn laughed.

"He likes you, and hopefully not just because you complimented him. The color of your hair matches that of his coat. May that bring you luck," she said. "His saddle and things are here." She pointed to the stall's wall.

"Thank you," Mornie said as Eowyn went to see to her own horse.

"Mornie?" she heard Legolas' voice over the stall.

"Here," she said, poking her head out into the aisle. "I have a new horse," she explained.

"We have our weapons back," he said, handing hers to her.

"Thank you," she said, strapping them on.

A few minutes later, the cries of a frightened horse echoed around the stable, bringing uneasiness to Scyld. Mornie was able to quiet him as the cries of the first horse died down. She looked out to see what was happening. Her father was holding gently to a nervous horse, and Eowyn stood close by. She let them converse; she did not know how much time she had before they went out.

Once Scyld was ready, she joined Legolas and Gimli in packing up the things needed in the hall and loading them onto carts. Once, she looked over to see her father speaking again to Eowyn. The way she looked at him struck Mornie; it was the same way Arwen had looked at him, the same way Lily Rubac had looked at Ven. She did not know if her father recognized it, but she did. She sighed, but this love, at least, had some potential, if the war could be won.

The riders fanned out along the line of those on foot, helping where they could. They had a long, slow journey through the mountains ahead of them.

Mornie mostly rode close to her father, but she often would ride behind or along the lines, helping again where she could. She was unused to the slow pace at which they traveled. However, it gave her time to think and to feel. She could feel the call again, and they were moving towards it. She ignored it until night fell, and they set up camp. Unable to sleep, she focused on it. It seemed to need her for something. She wanted to answer it, to call out to it: "Here I am!" Then she remembered the faces of the Elves that day in Lorien and her father's warning. She thought again of her mother's face: the grief, the love, the innocence, the bravery. She could see her red hair. She could hear her beautiful voice humming a tune to calm her child, to calm herself. Mornie sighed. She wished for Gandalf, to be able to ask him if she could try again to answer the searching. Wishing was useless. She rolled over and tried to sleep.

She rode far behind her father the next day, near the middle of the line. The horns began to sound. People were screaming, crying out, "Wargs!" She quickly followed the source of the cries to the head of the column and met up with her father. Ahead, she could see Legolas shooting down the leaders of the pack. They galloped on to battle.

At the crest of the hill, she could see the pack running towards them. She felt Scyld's natural instinct trying to run, but he followed the others at her insistence. She raised her sword in a battle cry with the others. Then the two parties met. With a blow to the right she struck off a head. From there, her instincts kicked in, and she hardly knew what she was doing. A warg landed below her, not quite dead, and she jumped off Scyld to finish him off. There were many orcs also on foot, so she did not remount. She struck down another orc, but her heart quailed. She turned, but there was nothing behind her, only a cliff. She sensed movement immediately to her left and began to fight again. It was soon over. She found Scyld in safety, and then looked around for her friends. She could see all the battle-field, but something was missing. She could not see her father.

"Adda!" she called to him, but there was no response. Legolas noticed the body of Hasufel and also began to call for him, then Gimli joined in. Mornie stood still, looking for a sign. Legolas tracked the marks from where Hasufel lay. An orc nearby nearing death began to chuckle. She walked forwards to hear what he was saying.

"Tell me what happened, and I will ease your passing," Gimli said.

"He's dead," the goblin coughed out. "He took a little tumble off the cliff."

Mornie froze. It seemed impossible. It was impossible. She couldn't hear anything else. She saw Legolas and Gimli join Théoden at the edge of the cliff. They were silent. He was dead. She turned and mounted Scyld and looked back at Legolas. Their eyes met, and she saw in him the deep grief that she felt. She looked away and joined the company.

They soon reached Helm's Deep. She dismounted, but she was still in a fog. She saw Legolas come and lead Scyld away. And then she started to climb. She climbed up every set of stairs she came to, not knowing why. She stopped when there were no more stairs. Her legs failed her and she slipped down, her back against a wall.

Legolas found her there sometime later, her tearstained face bowed, her knees brought close into herself, her body racked by sobs. She looked up at him and brushed her hand across her cheek, as if she was surprised at its wetness.

"I weep," she said. "He…he said I hardly ever wept, even as a child." And she began to sob again. Legolas sat down next to her, and she rested her head against his chest. He gently undid her braid, finger-combing her black hair, and then tying it again into its braid. Her sobs grew less, but still he held her, until a messenger came running up to them.

"You're both needed in the armory immediately," he said.

"Show some pity," Legolas shot back. "The girl just lost her father."

"No," Mornie said. "He- he wouldn't want us to waste time. We must work now, for him." They stood and left together. Once they reached the armory, however, they were separated. Mornie went further back to inspect swords, while Legolas worked with the shields and spears near the front. She worked alone for some time until a villager came to her.

"Lady Mornie," she said excitedly, "he's back, come quickly." And she ran back out just as quickly.

"Who?" Mornie tried to ask, but she was already gone.

She followed the villager until she saw who. She saw him standing there, her father, speaking with Legolas. She cried out, and he turned towards her and, smiling, held out open arms to her. She ran into them as if she was a little girl, and began to laugh as he lifted her feet of the ground.

"I thought you were dead," she said, as she calmed.

"Well, I thought I was, too. Come now, we need to see the king," he said, somber again.

"My lord, a great host approaches Helm's Deep," Aragorn began.

"A great host, you say?" Théoden asked

"All Isengard is emptied."

"How many?"

"10,000 strong, at least."

Mornie heard Legolas breathe in suddenly at the number. Théoden agreed.

"Ten thousand?" he gasped.

"It is an army bred for a single purpose," Aragorn replied, "to destroy the world of Men. They will here by nightfall."

"Let them come!" Théoden said. They followed him out of the hall as he organized his defense down to the gate. He called one of his men up to him.

"I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall," he said. "We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping wall or set foot inside the Hornburg."

"This is no rabble of mindless orcs," Gimli returned. "These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick, and their shields, broad."

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf," Théoden said. "I know how to defend my own keep." He went to the central part of the Keep. "They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn. We've seen it before. Crops can be resown; homes, rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them."

"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people, down to the last child," Aragorn argued.

"What would you have me do?" Théoden whispered. "Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."

"Send out riders, my lord," Aragorn advised. "You must call for aid."

"And who will come?" Théoden asked. "Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead."

"Gondor will answer."

"Gondor?! Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gon-" Théoden spat out. "No, my lord Aragorn," he said, "we are alone. Get the women and children into the caves," he called out.

"We need more time to lay provisions –" one man tried to say.

"There is no time. War is upon us," Théoden said. As he spoke, a flock of blackbirds flew above.

"Crebain?" Mornie asked Legolas.

"Yes," he said. "Saruman watches."

They stood near the entrance to the caves, aiding those who were unable to fight. Torches began to go up as the sun sank. Aragorn ordered his company.

"We will place the reserves along the wall," he said. "They can support the archers from above the gate."

"Aragorn, you must rest," Legolas asked him. "You're no use to us half alive."

"My lord!" someone cried out. "Aragorn!" Eowyn rounded the corner, and Legolas directed Mornie away from them. He had seen Eowyn's look, too. Their conversation, however, was not private for long.

"You do not command the others to stay!" she called out. "They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you – because they love you." And she quickly was gone again.

Many came back out that had gone in. They brought back out those too old or too young, but still able to wield a sword or spear. Mornie tried to help the children. They had a sufficient number of extra helmets, but few fit. So Mornie lined them with whatever cloth she could find.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys," Aragorn noted. "These are no soldiers."

"Most have seen too many winters," Gimli agreed.

"Or too few," Legolas added. "Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." The place grew quiet, and Mornie listened more attentively.

"And they should be," he continued, falling back into his native tongue. "Three hundred against ten thousand?"

"They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras," Aragorn joined him in Elvish.

"Aragorn, they cannot win this fight. They're all going to die."

"Then I shall die as one of them!" he cried out in the common tongue and stepped away. Legolas moved to follow them, but Gimli stopped him.

"Let him go, lad," he said. "Let him be." Mornie, tense and wavering, began to leave by a second exit when Legolas grabbed her arm. Her dagger was out in a second, but she managed to keep the point down and replace it quickly.

"Mornie," Legolas said, "I'm sorry." She glanced at him, then at the location of the argument, then the door that her father had just taken.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," she whispered and twisted out of his grasp.

In her chamber, Mornie glanced over the few pieces of armor she had reserved for herself. For a moment, her heart wavered. Legolas was right. They were trapped, doomed. She could run now, return north. No one who survived would know what she had done. Then the moment was over. She had often heard others speak of this. Battle-doubt, they called it. She had always somehow hoped it wouldn't happen to her. But perhaps all did. She put on the armor.

She put on her arm braces as she walked out. She found her father sitting on some steps near a fire. She was about to approach him when he spoke to another, one a little younger than she. She stayed back behind a pillar.

"Give me your sword," he said. The boy obeyed. "What is your name?" Aragorn asked him.

"Haleth, son of Hama, my lord," he replied. "The men are saying we will not live out the night. They say that it is hopeless."

Aragorn stood and tested the sword. "This is a good sword," he concluded, handing it back to him. "Haleth, son of Hama, there is always hope."

"Lady Mornie!" she heard someone call. She turned, and out of the corner of her eye saw her father do the same. "Lady Mornie," a young man said, "my name Ecgtheow. I am a blacksmith. I happened to create a weapon: it's this." He held out a metal flower, only with no center and the petals laid out and sharpened. "It's to wear around the tip of a braid. I was wondering if maybe you would bear it in battle, to test it for mistakes or ways to perfect it."

"Gladly," Mornie replied. "I thank you." She took the flower, and Ecgtheow bowed. She turned back to her father, but he was already gone.

She found him later in his chamber. Legolas was with him, and they were resolved.

"Mornie," Aragorn smiled at her. She stepped close, and Aragorn adjusted the sleeve of her jerkin. "Are you ready?" he asked looking her in the eye.

"Yes, and I will remain at your side." Aragorn understood. She had passed the first test. Just then, Gimli came in, wrestling with his mail.

"We had time, I'd get this adjusted," he complained. It fell, piling on the floor. "It's a little tight across the chest." She saw Legolas hide a smile. Suddenly, a horn sounded.

"That is no orc horn," Legolas said, and they followed him out. They rounded a corner and saw a legion of Elves, led by Haldir, who was speaking to the king.

"We come to honor that allegiance," he finished. Aragorn descended the steps, greeted and embraced him.

"You are most welcome," he said; then Haldir and Legolas greeted each other, and Haldir nodded to Mornie. He turned back to the king.

"We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."

They stood silent along the wall, waiting. Wood creaked quietly. The last footsteps on the stones seemed to echo, magnifying themselves in the quiet. Darkness had fallen in full. Even the stars were veiled. Yet, in front of them were fire and the noise of many marching feet. Thousands of marching feet. Mornie stood strong next to Legolas, waiting for her father. Gimli was on the other side.

"You could have picked a better spot," he said; Aragorn returned quickly. "Well, lad, whatever luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night." Thunder crashed.

"Your friends are with you, Aragorn," Legolas said.

"Let's hope they last the night," Gimli added. Her father stepped away again. It began to rain.


	10. Chapter 10

The Uruk-hai marched closer and closer. Soon, their banners could be discerned: the white hand.

"Show them no mercy," Aragorn ordered in the Elven tongue, "for you shall receive none!" The uruks stopped.

"What's happening out there?" Gimli asked.

"Shall I describe it to you?" Legolas replied. "Or would you like me to find you a box?" Gimli laughed mockingly. The uruks began to stamp their spears; the archers of Men prepared to shoot. A solitary arrow flew through the air.

"Hold!" Aragorn called. One uruk fell forward, and the rest began to yell out. They charged the wall.

"Prepare to fire!" came the command. Mornie drew her small hunting bow; the range was close enough.

"Their armor is weak at the neck and beneath the arm," Legolas said. Mornie aimed for the neck.

"Release arrows!" her father ordered. Nearly every one hit its mark.

"One," Legolas said.

"Did they hit anything?" Gimli demanded. An answering hail echoed from the Men. Mornie drew her bow two more times as arrows from behind whipped past her ears.

"Three," she said.

"Send them to me! Come on!" Gimli hollered. The uruk-hai began to fire from crossbows. An Elf close to her flew back.

"Ladders!" Aragorn called.

"Good!" Gimli said.

"Swords! Swords!" Aragorn called, relapsing into the common tongue. Gimli got the first one that came, but many others followed. Mornie let her instincts kick in again, and the fight became natural. The people, the cries and screams and death around her, even her own pain became only half-apparent. All she knew was the enemy in front of her and the one behind him. With a tiny break in the fighting around her, she got an arrow off at the rope holding the ladder, and it fell. Then there were three on her. She managed them, but while her hands were busy, another came up on the right. With a twist of her head, the metal flower hit his temple. She protected the archers so that they could shoot the attackers climbing the causeway. Suddenly, there was a huge blast. Part of the wall went up in pieces. Mornie hit the ground to avoid the flying chunks. When she began to stand back up, there were already uruks waiting for her, but she slew them. She looked for a way to get down to her father and Gimli when Legolas grabbed her from behind. She held tight as they slid down the stairs on an uruk shield. Then she was fighting again, trying to stem the tide flowing in through the hole.

"To the keep!" she heard the call. She began to fight while walking backwards, turning occasionally, then breaking into a run. Legolas was beside her, pulling Gimli along. She followed Legolas up to the wall above the gate. After a small period of time, at least, she thought it was small, she saw her father and Gimli jump from the side right in front of the gate, into the midst of the uruks on the causeway. But then she had ladders to deal with, and the ropes broke easily with a simple cut. In a lull in the fighting, she looked down and saw her father and Gimli in need of aid. She handed a rope to Legolas and then turned to make sure that he could pull unhindered. Soon came the call again: "Fall back! Retreat!" Even as they ran into the second level, they saw the uruk-hai climbing the stairs behind them. As the grey light of the beginning of dawn began to stream in through the windows, they fought to hold the second gate. She braced the gate with everything she had. Wood, yes, or herself. The instinct wearing off, she could hear those around her.

"The fortress is taken," Théoden was saying. "It is over."

"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it," Aragorn argued. "They still defend it. They have died defending it. Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves? Is there no other way?"

"There is one passage," one Man replied. "It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The uruk-hai are too many."

"Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass," Aragorn ordered him. "And barricade the entrance!"

The next blow shook the gate hard. Mornie pressed everything against it, but it was beginning to splinter. She became fully aware: aware of her sweat, her blood, her weakness.

"The sun is rising," Gimli said. She glanced through an eastern window at the sunlight streaming in, but then it was back to holding the gate for a few more minutes, as long as they could.

"The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep one last time," Théoden announced.

"Yes!" Gimli said, and he left to do so. Their horses were brought up, and Mornie mounted as ordered, for a final desperate charge.

"Fell deeds, awake," Théoden said. "Now for wrath, now for ruin, and a red dawn." Mornie drew her sword as the horn sounded and the gate burst apart. "Forth Eorlingas!" Théoden said, and the others took up a battle cry. Mornie galloped Scyld straight ahead, cutting down uruks. The sound of the horn echoed around them as they burst onto the causeway. There she recognized one of the uruks; it was the same one that had whipped her. With a snarl, he recognized her. As she raised her sword for a blow to his head, he sliced into her leg. That could no longer slow her stroke, nor her. She continued down the causeway. The loud neigh of a lordly horse far away echoed around the valley. Mornie looked up to the east and saw Gandalf there, and her heart was filled with hope again. Behind him came another rider, then many more. They charged down the steep mountainside, and, behind them, the sun rose, blinding the uruk-hai. The uruks were trapped between mountain, fortress, and enemy. There was only one way of escape, and somehow there was now a forest there. They pursued the uruks to the end of the valley. There, the trees took over, swaying and moving. Cries issued from it, whether the screams of uruks or the battle cry of the trees, they did not know. They returned to Helm's Deep. They began to pile the bodies, burying the Elves and Men and burning the uruks. She joined Legolas, standing near Gimli who was sitting on the body of an uruk.

"Final count," Legolas said, "forty-two."

"Forty two?" Gimli replied. :"That's not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling. I myself am sitting pretty on 43." Legolas suddenly took out an arrow and shot the body.

"Forty-three," he said.

"He was already dead, " Gimli argued.

"He was twitching," Legolas explained.

"He was twitching," Gimli reasoned, "because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system.

"Oh, well," Legolas sighed. "What about you, Mornie?"

"Probably around 42," she replied. Gimli laughed. "Plus two ladders." Gimli stopped laughing.

Mornie found Ecgtheow easily; he was collecting the borrowed weapons. She took the flower out of her hair.

"Ecgtheow!" she called him. "Here: it is a good weapon." She offered it back to him.

"Keep it, if you would, my lady," he replied. "I know how to make more."

"Thank you," she said, stepping away as she saw Eowyn. She listened attentively as Eowyn explained the tradition of the victory feast. As they rounded a corner and were suddenly exposed to the northwest, Mornie stopped short. She had grown so accustomed to hearing the call in the back of her mind, it hit her hard when she realized that it was no longer there.

"Are you all right?" Eowyn asked.

"Yes, fine. I just…" she could not think of a way to explain; luckily, she didn't have to.

"Mornie!" Legolas called. "Come on, we're heading out."

"I'm coming," she said. "Farewell, Eowyn."

"Farewell."

They rode out of Helm's Deep with Gandalf, the king, and Gamling, one of his men, to go to Isengard. Gandalf needed to finish that business. They looked south-eastward.

"Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift," he said. "The battle for Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle Earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two little hobbits somewhere in the wilderness."

"Is your leg all right?" Legolas asked, noticing the bandage as they turned towards Fangorn.

"The cut is not deep, though I may need to get a new pair of boots," she said.

"Good," he said, "because I was hoping we could have a bit of a game."

"What kind of a game?"

"A test, between Arod and Scyld."

"A race to the forest then?" Legolas nodded. "Let's try it."

"On my mark, then," he said. "Three, two –" Arod shot off. Mornie yelled out behind, and Scyld leapt after. She urged him on as fast as she could, but it was useless; they were losing ground. Suddenly, an idea formed in her mind. She glanced back and nodded to her father, hoping he would see. Then she put her hand on her wound and cried out in pain. Of course, Legolas looked back. Seeing Scyld slowing down and Mornie in pain, he turned Arod and rode to her. Had he been more attentive, he might have observed Aragorn holding back the others.

"What's the matter?" he asked, drawing Arod close to Scyld. Mornie looked him in the eye.

"Nothing," she said, and Scyld was gone, bearing her swiftly over the grass to the trees ahead. Arod, however, though at first turned the wrong way, was soon close behind, and they reached the forest at nearly the same time. They turned their horses and waited for the others.

"That's cheating," Legolas said.

"No," Mornie said, half-smiling. "You did away with any rules when you started off before the end of the count." She patted Scyld for doing so well as the others joined them.

"Adda, I trust –" she began, but the call was back and very strong.

"Come," Gandalf said. "Your questions will be answered at the end of this stage of the journey." She followed him eagerly into the woods.

The moss draped over the trees fluttered gently on the breeze. They came to a gap in the forest. The tower of Orthanc rose up, but immediately in front of them was a broken down wall, with Merry and Pippin sitting on it, laughing and smoking. Merry stood up when he saw them approaching.

"Welcome, my lords, and lady, to Isengard!"

"You young rascals!" Gimli shouted. "A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you feasting and smoking!"

"We are sitting on a field of victory," Pippin explained, "enjoying a few well earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good."

"Salted pork?" Gimli asked.

"Hobbits," Gandalf sighed.

"We're under order from Treebeard," Merry said, "who's taken over management of Isengard." They rode on to see this Treebeard. Inside the wall, there was nearly two feet of water covering the entire space. A few trees dotted the area as well as the pieces of other things floating in the water. One tree turned and began to speak.

"An Ent!" Legolas whispered to her.

"Young master Gandalf," Treebeard said, "I'm glad you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone I can master. But there's a wizard to manage here, locked in his tower."

"Show yourself," Aragorn said.

"Be careful," Gandalf advised. "Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous."

"Well, let's just have his head and be done with it," Gimli proposed.  
>"No," Gandalf said. "We need him alive. We need him to talk."<p>

A voice echoed down from the top of the tower.

"You have fought many wars and slain many men, Théoden King," Saruman said, "and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?"

"We shall have peace," Théoden said. "We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead at the gates of the Hornburg are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet, for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace."

"Gibbets and crows?" Saruman mocked. "Dotard! What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. The Key of Orthanc. Or perhaps the Keys of Barad-dur itself, along with the crowns of the seven kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"

"Your treachery has already cost many lives," Gandalf told him. "Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them, Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel."

"So, you have come here for information," Saruman replied. "I have some for you." He held aloft something seemingly out of legend, one of the lost palantirs. "Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth, something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it. Even now, he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon." Gandalf rode forward slowly. "You're all going to die. But you know this, don't you, Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned king." Scyld, feeling Mornie's tenseness, shifted, bringing Saruman's attention to them. "And you, you, who call yourself his daughter. You might as well be mine."

"What do you mean?" Mornie asked, though she hardly dared to know.

"This: that I created you. I was trying to make a better orc, one with more Elvenness than perversion. I stole your mother, and, taking what was available, created you. I made you as good a fighter as you are. I made you to be scorned by your own kind. I made you to obey me. And look! You have. I called, and you came, though it took some time. When your mother hid you, I thought you were lost. I had made you to be strong through periods of time without food, however, and you survived."

Mornie gasped as he laughed at her. "You lie!" she yelled back, but barely hoping that she told the truth.

"You need proof, I see. I also made you smart. Kill the man next to you."

"What? No," she said.

"Really?" he asked. Mornie glanced down. Her right hand was already on her sword hilt. She tried to take it off, but instead she drew her sword. She struggled, trying to win back control, but it was useless.

"Gandalf, please!" she cried out, and the spell was broken. She turned and fled, Scyld's hoof kicking water up into her face. She ran through the forest, but when she was back out onto the plains, she did not know what to do. She dismounted, letting Scyld graze.


	11. Chapter 11

As twilight whistled through the whispering grass, Mornie had chosen her course of action. She rode through the night, returning to Edoras around late afternoon the next day. Everyone was busy preparing for the feast, so she put Scyld into the stable herself.

"Goodbye, my friend," she whispered to him. "Thank you."

She entered Meduseld alone, though inside many people were busy. She looked around, searching for her father and Legolas. To her surprise, she could not see them, but instead saw many of the Rangers.

"Jim!" she called out, recognizing her friend some fifty paces away from her. He turned, and she saw that he now had the cloak and clasp of a full Ranger.

"There you are," Eowyn said, coming up to her. "I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't have time to prepare for the feast. As it is, you'll be cutting it short. Quickly, this way." Mornie only had time to place her fist swiftly over her heart and bow her head to Jim, as apprentices salute Rangers.

While Mornie bathed, Eowyn took her clothes and replaced them with undergarments before going to look for a dress and a pair of shoes that would work. When Mornie had put on the undergarments and stepped out from behind the screen, she saw a beautiful black dress with a gold-colored overlay.

"Eowyn," she gasped. "I… I don't know that I can wear this."

"Nonsense," Eowyn argued. "It should fit you the best. Put it on, at least for me."

Mornie consented and put on the dress, then crossed the room to stand in front of the mirror. The sleeves loosened just above the elbow, and the skirt flowed gently out and down. Her necklace could still remain hidden under the neckline, however.

"Now, for your hair," Eowyn said, hers already done. "Sit down here. Let me see." And she went to work. When she was finished, she let Mornie look through two mirrors at it. It was mostly just a simple bun, but around the outside was a braid, and one of her shorter hairs fell free behind her ear.

"Eowyn, I don't know what to say," she said.

"Then don't say anything, dear," Eowyn replied. "Come now, we are ready."

She stood near her father. Legolas slipped in next to her.

"You look nice," he whispered, before the ceremony began.

"Thank you," Mornie whispered back, "But it is all Lady Eowyn's artwork."

Then it began, and a hush filled the hall. Eowyn approached the king and handed him the cup. He raised it, and the Men stood, raising theirs.

"Tonight, we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country," Théoden said. "Hail the victorious dead!"

"Hail!" the people responded, and they drank. Mornie slipped away. She found some paper, ink, and a pen not too far from her things. She looked down at her dagger, hesitating. However, she had made her decision. She picked it up, too.

As she walked quietly out of the hall, she tried to avoid eye contact with anyone. She glanced across the hall quickly. Jim was with the other Rangers. Her father was speaking with Eowyn again. Legolas and Gimli seemed to be involved in a drinking competition. She sighed and stepped out.

She sat down, hanging her legs over the edge of the porch, and began to write.

_Eowyn, thank you so much. I am no great wordsmith, but know that your kindnesses mattered._

_ Jim, this will seem strange to you, but know that I have reasoned it out. I was glad to see you again. Congratulations on making full Ranger._

_ Legolas, all is forgiven._

_ Adda, I am sorry that your training and hard work with me could only come to this. However, I see no other way out, and this is best for all._

_ To whomever else it may concern._

_In committing this act, I destroy my final enemy: myself. _

_ Goodbye._

She folded the paper and set it down next to her. She took off her second's ring and placed it on top. Then she picked up her dagger. She listened to her heartbeat for a moment, letting it continue for that moment longer. She closed her eyes. She set the point of the dagger close to her heart, and – but there was another hand around hers, pulling the dagger back. It gently took the dagger from her. She opened her eyes and saw Legolas kneeling next to her.

"Do you know what you are doing?" she asked him. "I am an enemy. I should be killed like one."

"You are no enemy," he replied.

"You saw what happened in Isengard. My will is not my own."

"Mornie, Saruman is dead."

"How much does that matter? I do not know who else has power over me. Certainly Sauron probably does."

"Sauron isn't here. And if he was, we could protect you."

"For how long? How long before I would kill all of you? How long before I would tell him about It?"

"Forever, if you fought it with us. I did not need to know you for long to see your determination. It was that determination with which I fell in love."

"You're probably drunk. Why should I trust your words?"

"Ask me again tomorrow morning, then. See that my opinions on your determination and my love have not changed. And so, to answer your first question, yes, I know what I am doing. I am stopping someone from killing my love. Now, will you wait?"

Mornie hesitated. "Yes," she said at last. "I will wait."

"Good. Now, may I have that paper? Thank you." He crossed to a torch, and the paper turned to ash. He returned and sat down next to her, taking her hand in his. Above the mountains across from them, the stars twinkled. Mornie leaned her head down onto his shoulder, exhausted emotionally and physically. Legolas began to tell her the stories of the stars. Almost every star symbolized a story that he had learned, so he continued for a long time. Once, he asked her a question, but she didn't respond.

"Mornie?" he asked again, but she was asleep. He gently kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Morwen Finduilas Ar-Feniel," he murmured. Then he brought her inside, where Eowyn was setting up their beds in the hall. She took over from there, and Legolas went back outside.

_She was being held, gently rocked again by her mother. In her fear and sorrow, her mother was singing a gentle lullaby to her._

_Hush, my baby, oh, do not cry now;_

_Sleep until morning, the light will come back_

_The light comes back, trust me_

_Dark will leave again, I sing_

_And you'll smile and sing with me_

_You'll smile; the sun will come out again at last_

_Though, perhaps, I will not be there_

_Something will hold you, a mem'ry, a song_

_Perhaps someone you love_

_You will be happy and safe_

_And you'll smile and sing with him_

_You'll smile; the sun will come out again at last_

_Then, farewell, and remember this_

_I will be with you, at least in your heart_

_I will be with you, love,_

_Someday I'll see you again_

_Then you'll smile and sing with me_

_You'll smile; the sun will come out again at last_

_ "Hush now, my child," she whispered. "They are coming." A red torch was approaching them. It looked like a star. It came closer, and closer, and closer, and-_

Mornie sat up suddenly in bed. He was here! Legolas and Aragorn ran through to another chamber. She threw a small blanket over her bare shoulders, her hair hanging down her back. She followed them to a door, then stopped and waited outside, not hearing anything that shouted immediate danger. Luckily, she did not have to wait long. Legolas, who had seen that she was awake, came back out to explain to her.

"It was the palantir," he said quietly. "Pippin looked into it."

"Is he all right?" Mornie asked.

"Yes, he is fine," Legolas replied. "Gandalf has seen to him. He says that he will talk about it in the morning. Best get some rest, while you can." She returned to bed. She could still remember her mother's lullaby, so she hummed it quietly to herself.

Mornie woke just before dawn. Near her bed was a pair of new boots and a note. "Mornie," it read, "My opinions haven't changed. Legolas." She looked down at the boots. The leather was soft and already movable, even though they were brand new. They were very similar to her old ones. The right one even had a sheath and her dagger in it. She tied them on, and they fit perfectly. She dressed quickly and began to disassemble her bed. The mixture of quiet noise and growing light woke Eowyn. Soon the others were up too. After a light break-fast, Gandalf called them together.

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes," he said. "A fool, but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring. We've been strangely fortunate. Pippin saw, in the palantir, a glimpse of the enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing. He knows the heir of Elendil has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still, strength enough perhaps to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle-Earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a king return to the throne of Men. If the beacons of Minas Tirith are lit, Rohan must be ready for war."

"Tell me," Théoden said, "why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?"

"I will go," Aragorn said.

"No!" Gandalf said.

"They must be warned," Aragorn argued.

"They will be," Gandalf explained. "You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river. Look to the black ships. Understand this: things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith, and I won't be going alone." Then he was gone again, taking Pippin with him.

They spent the next few days waiting. Mornie caught up with Jim, chatted with Eowyn much – she was excited to have another woman at the court – and remembered her mother's lullaby. However, she soon began to grow impatient. She knew now that she had been created for action, not waiting around for something happen. At last, something did. About mid-morning one day, her father suddenly burst into the hall.

"The beacons of Minas Tirith!" he called. The beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid."

"And Rohan will answer," Théoden said. "Muster the Rohirrim."

They sprang into action. Before long, bells were tolling, calling the Men to war. Horses were quickly brushed and saddled. Armor was put on. Mornie put the metal flower back onto her braid. Before long, nearly everything was ready. She sat on Scyld near Legolas and Gimli, who was complaining again.

"Horse-men!" he scoffed. "I wish I could muster a legion of dwarves, fully armed and filthy."

"Your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war," Legolas said. "I fear war already marches on their own lands."

The banners blew in the breeze: a white horse on a green field, outlined with gold as the Men gathered around their king.

"Now is the hour," Eomer called. "Riders of Rohan, oaths you have taken. Now, fulfill them all, to lord and land!" And they set out at a gallop, a river streaming from the city.

They rode into Dunharrow a few days later. Many Men had already gathered there, and they called out greetings to the king, as well as the number of their Men. It was 6,000 all told. They camped high up on the mountain. There was a tenseness there that seemed unexplainable. Legolas also noticed.

"The horses are restless," he said to Eomer, "and the men are quiet."

"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain," he said.

"That road there," Gimli asked, "where does that lead?"

"It is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain," Legolas answered.

"None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil," Eomer finished. A slight chill crept up Mornie's spine. She had heard of the Dimholt.

"Mornie," a voice was calling her away from her mother. "Mornie?" Awake, she recognized Legolas' voice outside her tent.

"Yes?" she answered.

"We are leaving soon; hurry." A moment later, she was out of her tent. Legolas continued. "Your father is leaving. He is taking the Dimholt road."

"And we will follow him," Mornie finished for him, showing her preparedness. She went with him to get the horses. When they returned, Gimli was speaking to him.

"Just where do you think you're off to?" he asked.

"Not this time," her father said. "This time you must stay, Gimli."

"Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of Dwarves?" Legolas answered.

"Or that of the Mirkwood Elves?" Mornie added.

"You might as well accept it. We're going with you, laddie," Gimli concluded.

Mornie brought up the end of the four, while her father led. As they rode out, many people called out to him, but he did not stop, nor even reply. The 30 other or so Dunadain, including Jim, under orders, remained with the army.

The towers of rocks rising up above them were a pale grey. Only small shrubs grew here and there. It was utterly silent.

"What kind of army would linger in such a place?" Gimli wondered aloud.

"One that is cursed," Legolas answered. "Long ago, the men of the mountains swore an oath to the last king of Gondor to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came when Gondor's need was dire, they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge.

Who shall call them form the grey twilight?

The forgotten people.

The heir of him to whom the oath they swore.

From the north shall he come.

Need shall drive him.

He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead."

They rode on, and the road became steeper. They dismounted and began to lead their horses. When it leveled out, they rounded a corner and could see the door ahead.

"The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away," Gimli whispered. They stopped at the door, and Legolas read the inscription above.

"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead. And the Dead keep it. The way is shut."

An unnatural breeze blew out of the doorway. Frightened, the horses turned and ran. Aragorn called Brego back, but to no avail. He turned to face the door.

"I do not fear death," he said, and passed through. Legolas followed. Mornie took a deep breath and followed him.


	12. Chapter 12

Inside, a pale mist hung in the air. The tunnel ceiling was high enough for a tall Elf to walk comfortably, but the walls forced a single-file line. Ancient skeletons lay in holes cut into the walls. Through the mist, it would have been nearly impossible for Mornie to see her father only a few feet ahead of her in front of Legolas had it not been for his torch. They stuck close together. One passage they passed by was filled with skulls. Legolas, however, hesitated, seeing something the others could not see.

"What is it?" Gimli asked. "What do you see?"

"I see shapes of men," Legolas said, "and of horses."

"Where?" Gimli whispered.

"Pale banners like shreds of cloud. Spears rise, like winter thickets through a shroud of mist. The Dead are following. They have been summoned." And he pressed on, Mornie following close behind. Soon the mist began to be concentrated lower. It became hands, reaching up to grab them. Everywhere they touched, the skin became cold. Legolas twisted and stepped carefully, trying to avoid them, so Mornie followed his lead.

"Do not look down," Aragorn whispered. Something rolled and crunched underneath Mornie's foot, but Legolas caught her. The natural instinct was to look down, but he held her graze. She was able to straighten without looking, but things continued to crunch. She tried to step as lightly as she could, but it did little good. At last, she began to run with the others. Suddenly the small passage opened up and out into a huge cavern. On one side, pieces of a building could still be seen; across from it, however, was a gaping cliff, filled with the mist. Suddenly, an unearthly voice echoed around the cavern, making Mornie's skin crawl.

"Who enters my domain?" it questioned. They turned to see some sort of being. A crown was on his head, and pieces of hair and beard seemed to cling still to his skeletal face. However, he was there and wasn't there.

"One who will have your allegiance," Aragorn replied.

"The Dead do not suffer the living to pass," the king stated.

"You will suffer me," Aragorn said. The king laughed, and suddenly a city was there and wasn't there above the emptiness next to the cliff. Then many warriors who were there and weren't there surrounded them and began to close in around them.

"The way is shut," the king said. "It was made by those who are dead. And the Dead keep it. The way is shut. Now you must die."

The army began to advance. Legolas shot an arrow at the king, but it passed right through his forehead. They continued to advance. They were trapped.

"I summon you to fulfill your oath," Aragorn advanced as well.

"None but the king of Gondor may command me," the king scoffed. And he raised his sword, but Aragorn met it with his, and steel rang.

"Narsil!" Mornie gasped.

"No," Legolas replied, "Anduril."

"The Flame of the West," Mornie translated.

"That line was broken," the king said.

"It has been remade," Aragorn replied, pushing him back. "Fight for us and regain your honor. What say you? What say you?"

"You waste your time, Aragorn," Gimli said. "They had no honor in life they have none now in death."

"I am Isildur's heir," Aragorn continued. "Fight for me, and I will hold your oaths fulfilled. What say you?"

The king began to laugh again, and the army rolled back, disappearing.

"You have my word!" Aragorn yelled after them. "Fight, and I will release you from this living death! What say you?!"

"Stand, you traitors!" Gimli hollered. The mountain trembled. Rocks began to fall; no, they were skulls. The entire walls of the mountain standing beside the real city crumbled. Skulls began to pour out.

"Out!" Aragorn shouted, and they ran, wading through the skulls, trying to forget what they really were, that instead they were just rocks. Mornie lost her footing and slipped a few feet, but she was up again in seconds. At last, they made a passageway and were free from the skulls, but not the falling stones. A large one crashed just behind them. Before long, they were out of the mountain.

Below them ran a river, and on that river a flaming town no longer stood. Black ships were sailing away, having completed their task; they were moving on to Minas Tirith. And now they could not be stopped. Aragorn knelt under the weight of that fact. Perhaps he did not think so yet, but Mornie immediately recognized it: the matter was hopeless. Suddenly a breeze came from the mountain-stone. The king came out.

"We fight," he said.

"You may go no further," Aragorn called to the lead ship when it was within hearing distance. "You will not enter Gondor." Of course, they laughed.

"Who are you to deny us passage?" one said.

"Legolas, fire a warning shot past the bosun's ear," Aragorn said quietly.

"Mind your aim," Gimli added. Legolas shot, but something happened, and he killed the man behind.

"That's it, right, we warned you," Gimli recovered. "Prepare to be boarded."

"Boarded? By you and whose army?" they laughed again.

"This army," Aragorn said, and the Dead attacked.

It was hours before dawn on the day they were to reach Minas Tirith. They were getting too close to Barad-dur, to Sauron. All was quiet, and only the lapping of the waves against the boat could be heard. Mornie stood from her place of rest and walked to the side of the ship and looked down. The water was black and deep, but she was a good swimmer. She sat down and swung her legs over the side of the ship, preparing to jump.

"You know, I never thought I would be saying this," a voice that made her skin crawl said behind her, "but I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Of course you wouldn't," she replied, turning to face the king of the Dead. "You have an oath to fulfill. I do not, and I leave for a different reason than the one you think."

"The only result that comes from deserting for whatever the reason is pain," the king said.

"What is going on?" Legolas asked, awakening. "Mornie, what are you doing?"

"I am sorry, Legolas, but I can't do this. I don't trust myself. I don't have your faith or my father's hope."

"So you will desert us?" Legolas said.

"Yes, since I must. Don't you understand?"

"Don't you? Mornie, you are safe. Sauron's servants are wholly evil; and yes, perhaps, once, you might have become one of them. But your father changed that. There is so much good in you, I know. At Edoras, you remember the children who rode in from the Westfold? I saw in your eyes sorrow for them, grief for that which they had had to suffer. You could not now cause that grief. Your mother made sure of that. So don't you understand? If you leave now, you will certainly not be letting me down, or even your father. You will be letting _her _down."

A tear slipped down Mornie's cheek. _You'll smile; the sun will come out again at last. _Legolas was right. She slipped back over the rail.

"Wait for my mark," was Aragorn's order to them. They lay low, unseen from land, waiting. They could hear the orcs jeering.

"Late as usual, pirate-scum! There's knife-work here needs doing. Come on, you sea rats, get off your ships!"

Aragorn jumped off first; the rest of the living followed quickly.

"There's plenty for the both of us. May the best Dwarf win," Gimli said.

"Hey wait, what about me? May the best – um, what am I exactly? Huh. I'll have to add that to my list of should-have-asked-Saruman's." Mornie half-smiled. As they attacked, the Dead followed. As soon as they got about 100 paces from the landing, they saw them: the Oliphaunts.

"You killed those things?" she asked Legolas.

"Yes, and I'll do it again today."

Mornie didn't have to wait long to see it. A few minutes later, Legolas was climbing the arrows in the leg of one of the Oliphaunts. He killed the few Men that attacked him once he was on top, then he grabbed a rope and swung out to the side of it, cutting the rope holding the top full of Men onto the beast, all while avoiding the trunk of the beast itself. Finally, he shot two arrows into its head. The great beast groaned, and Legolas rode the trunk down. Mornie simply nodded to him.

"That still only counts as one!" Gimli decided. The Dead swarmed the rest of the Oliphaunts as the living fought the orcs. Before long, all were defeated. Mornie sighed.

"I just wanted to try my hand at one," she said, gesturing to the Oliphaunts.

"How about this:" Legolas offered, "once this is all over, let's say we head up North and take on a few dragons."

"Deal," Mornie replied.

They turned their gaze to the city. Green mist poured in, like water extinguishing the flames. After all the enemy had been destroyed or had surrendered, Aragorn released the Dead. A fell wind blew through, and they were gone.

It did not take Mornie long to find Jim. He knelt weeping beside the body of the Ranger who had once been his master, a Man by the name of Halbarad. She comforted him as best she could. A cry full of grief rang out not far from them, and Mornie looked up. Eomer lamented, holding the body of Eowyn. How she came to that fate, no one knew. She was taken into the city, life only just clinging to her. Aragorn was able to heal her, but only just: she had lost the will to live, and they did not know how much longer she would survive. Later that night, Merry was also brought into the city. He had a similar wound to that of Eowyn. Mornie knew it; she had suffered it herself, though not nearly as much as these two had. Called by some the Black Breath, it was caused by the touch of a Nazgul. In this concentration, it could only be healed by the King of Gondor.

The next day, Gandalf called a debate among the commanders: Eomer and Aragorn. Legolas and Gimli and Mornie also attended. Gimli took the steward's chair. Legolas stood off to one side, and Mornie stood between him and Eomer. Her father waited for Gandalf on the other side of the chair.

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight," Gandalf said at last. "The darkness is deepening."

"If Sauron had the Ring we would know it," Aragorn pointed out.

"It's only a matter of time," Gandalf argued. "He has suffered a defeat, yes, but, behind the walls of Mordor, our enemy is regrouping."

"Let him stay there," Gimli said. "Let him rot! Why should we care?"

"Because 10,000 orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom," Gandalf answered. "I've sent him to his death."

"No," Aragorn replied. "There's still hope for Frodo. He needs time and safe passage across the plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that."

"How?" Gimli asked.

"Draw out Sauron's armies," Aragorn responded. "Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate."

"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms," Eomer said.

"Not for ourselves. But we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else that moves."

"A diversion," Legolas said.

"Certainty of death," Gimli listed, "small chance of success: what are we waiting for?"

"Works for me," Legolas said.

"I'm definitely in," Mornie added. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow," came the answer.

On twenty-fifth of March, Morannon, the Black Gate, rose up and out before them, but all was silent.

"Where are they?" Pippin asked, sitting on Shadowfax with Gandalf. A small number of them rode forward with Aragorn. Mornie was glad to be back on Scyld again. He had returned with Arod and Brego to the Rohirrim.

"Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth!" Aragorn called. "Let justice be done upon him!"

Morannon creaked and groaned and squeaked. It opened just wide enough for one rider to come out.

"My master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome," he grimaced, though it may have been meant to be a smile. "Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me?"

"We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed," Gandalf said. "Tell your master this: The armies of Mordor must disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return."

"Old Greybeard," the messenger said. "I have a token I was bidden to show thee." He pulled out Frodo's mithril coat and tossed it to Gandalf.

"Frodo!" Pippin exclaimed.

"Silence," Gandalf said.

"No!" Merry had not heard.

"Silence!" Gandalf ordered

"The Halfling was dear to thee, I see," the messenger grimace-smiled. "Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host. Who would have thought one so small could endure so much pain? And he did, Gandalf. He did."

All content belongs to its rightful owners, such as New Line or whatever else.


	13. Chapter 13

Aragorn rode Brego forward a few paces.

"And who is this?" the messenger scoffed. "Isildur's heir? It takes more to make a king than a broken Elvish blade." And then that broken Elvish blade cut off the messenger's head.

"I guess that concludes negotiations," Gimli said.

"I do not believe it," Aragorn said. "I will not."

The Gates swung open. A huge army came marching out. Another came from behind. They were surrounded.

"Pull back," Aragorn ordered. "Pull back!

"Hold your ground," he said to his men. "Hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of Men comes crashing down. But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!" They drew their swords.

"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf," Gimli said.

"What about side by side with a friend?" Legolas asked.

"Aye," Gimli replied. "I could do that." Mornie sighed.

"Legolas, if we are not to survive this," she whispered, "I need you to know that I love you." He smiled at her and took her hand, and they turned to face the enemy. Together.

Aragorn stepped forward first.

"For Frodo," he said, and charged. The hobbits followed him, then the rest. Legolas fired his arrows, making a hole in the line of spears ahead. They dove in, fighting hard. Again, Mornie lost track of time as her instincts kicked in, but she could always sense that Legolas was near. She twisted around to strike an orc behind her, but her mail slipped too far up her arm, and an arrow was shot into it. She cried out in pain. It burned like ice. Legolas killed the orc she had been about to attack as she pulled the arrow out. She looked at Legolas.

"It's poisoned," she said.

Legolas helped her back, away from the front lines. She could feel the iciness of the poison spreading down into her arm and up into her shoulder. It weakened her, and she sat down. Legolas tried to help her, but there was nothing he could do. It was too late. She looked back towards the gate. Trolls had come. One was attacking her father. She looked at Legolas. He had seen it too, but he chose to stay by her. She shook her head.

"Go," she said. "Help him. Go."

With one last glance at her, Legolas turned and began to make his way to Aragorn. Alone, Mornie closed her eyes and waited for death.

All quotes, etc. belong to their rightful owners.


	14. Chapter 14

Aragorn rode Brego forward a few paces.

"And who is this?" the messenger scoffed. "Isildur's heir? It takes more to make a king than a broken Elvish blade." And then that broken Elvish blade cut off the messenger's head.

"I guess that concludes negotiations," Gimli said.

"I do not believe it," Aragorn said. "I will not."

The Gates swung open. A huge army came marching out. Another came from behind. They were surrounded.

"Pull back," Aragorn ordered. "Pull back!

"Hold your ground," he said to his men. "Hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of Men comes crashing down. But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!" They drew their swords.

"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf," Gimli said.

"What about side by side with a fr

Mornie opened her eyes with a gasp as the first tendril of poison smote her lungs. She looked up, and could easily discern Legolas. He had made a large amount of distance for so short a period of time. She saw the strength he had gained for the love of a friend. She thought of how the love of her mother had made her strong enough to escape and give up her only daughter. She thought of how she herself had found strength in love to send away Legolas, to face death alone.

_True strength comes from love, _she realized.

The necklace of Kamiliel slipped out from beneath her tunic and coat of mail and covered her heart. It began to glow purple, forming a ring of protection around her heart that the poison could not penetrate. However, it could not last forever. The purple began to fade to a blue, and that blue faded down to almost white. Then, at last, the Eye of Sauron exploded! And out of that explosion came a tremor. It ripped down the towers, the Gate, and even the ground. When it came to Mornie, it pushed the poison back out of the wound. She was safe.

They waited anxiously for Gandalf to give news concerning Sam and Frodo. They had been rescued in the nick of time, if not already too late. At last, Gandalf informed them that they would be all right. The Fellowship breathed a collective sigh of relief. Legolas took her hand again. He whispered to her silly stories that he had learned as a child. They made her laugh quietly. At that sound, her father looked up and saw them together.

"Have I been so preoccupied as to have missed this?" he said, smiling. "May it be blessed." Mornie told him of her gratitude by a smile. Suddenly laughter issued from the room where Frodo lay. Merry and Pippin got there first. Gimli came just after them, and Mornie and Legolas followed him. Aragorn and Sam came in behind them. The Fellowship was reunited after exactly 28 days.

She stood on the steps leading into the Hall, a few steps below and to the right of where her father knelt. Nearly all the people of Minas Tirith and many of the nobles of Gondor stood behind, filling the courtyard to the pinnacle. For that day, for her father, she had left her usual tunic and braid, and in stead wore a dress of blue and white, her hair hanging down, encircled by silver with a blue stone. Gandalf stood at the top of the steps, holding the crown. He lifted it up for all to see, and then placed it on Aragorn's head.

"Now come the days of the king," he said. "May they be blessed."

Aragorn stood, climbing to the top of the stairs, and faced his people. They cheered for him, glad to have a king again.

"This day does not belong to one man, but to all," King Elessar said. "Let us together rebuild this world, that we may share in the days of peace.

_Et Earello_

_Endorenna utulien_

_Sinome maruvan_

_Ar Hildinyar_

_Tenn' Ambar-metta_

_Out of the Great Sea_

_To Middle-Earth I am come._

_In this place, I will abide,_

_And my Heirs, _

_Unto the ending of the World."_

He sang the song of Elendil as the petals of the White Tree swirled around them. Then he descended the steps, coming to her first. He embraced her, kissing her forehead.

"You will be a good king," she whispered, falling in at his side as he greeted his steward, Eomer, and then the Elves, led by Legolas. He gestured behind him, smiling. Aragorn followed the gesture, and the Elves parted. There, behind the banner, stood Arwen. She bowed her head, but Aragorn lifted it back up, and they kissed. Legolas slipped his hand around Mornie's waist. She closed her eyes, trying to press everything into her memory. She wanted to remember it all: the sight, the sound, the smell, the feel. Because that day was a near-perfect day.

The knock on Mornie's door came early the next morning, but she was ready. She had been hoping that Legolas would not have forgotten their deal.

"Gimli should be joining us part of the way," he said after their good mornings as they walked to get permission from her father. "My plan was to follow the River, crossing in the South Undeep, then making our way across the Brown Lands and skirting the edge of the forest until we get to Erebor; then straight north. I doubt that we will need to go much farther than the Ered Mithren."

"How long will the journey take?" Mornie asked, unsure of the geography.

"Some days more than a fortnight, if we move at a good pace," he said. They rounded the corner into the Hall. Aragorn was going over his accounts with Faramir while Gandalf stood nearby, but he stopped upon seeing them, glad of the short break. He accepted their wish and purpose to journey north.

"Of course you have my permission and my blessing," he said. "I do need you back by Mid-year's Day, for that is the date of the wedding."

*"Will you be crossing the Brown Lands?" Gandalf asked.

"Yes," Legolas answered for them.

"I believe I will join you, then," he said. "I have someone I want you to meet."

They departed a few days later, riding to minimize the time for the journey. The horses, however, would be left in Mirkwood with Legolas' people. Mornie was impatient to get started. Gandalf had sparked her curiosity about this someone in the Brown Lands. The journey, however, was nearly as enjoyable as the destinations promised to be. There was much singing among that group. They were nearly to the edge of Mirkwood around mid-day when they saw it. There among the first outlying trees was a cottage, smoking rising from the chimney. A vegetable garden freshly resown surrounded it. As they watched, a Dwarf woman came out of the cottage. She was dressed practically and plainly, her red hair tied back. She appeared to be nearing one hundred winters, but as they drew closer, they could see that she was weighed down by grief beyond her years. She stood tall and proud, however, regarding them, even Gimli, with a sense of foreboding. Why had Gandalf brought them to her?

*From this point onward, this storyline may or may not be included after December, depending on events that shall be made known in our world in that month, but are expected, sadly, to transpire. Keep reading. You'll see.

Everything belongs to its proper owner.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Sorry this one took so long. I haven't been feeling great, so updating just kinda slipped down my priorities list. Anyway, this is one of my favorite parts. This new O/C is one of my favorites. Not that I have favorites. But I do. Sorry Mornie.

"The birds were not expecting you to make it here until tomorrow," the Dwarf woman began. "Tell me your names."

"I am Gimli, son of Gloin," he spoke first.

"Son of Gloin?" she repeated, glancing at Gandalf. Unspoken words passed between them. She turned to Mornie.

"Mornie, daughter of Aragorn."

"Aye, you are known to me," the dwarf stated as she turned to Legolas, her eyes hardening.

"I am Legolas of the Woodland Realm."

"A son of Gloin and, more than that, the son of Thranduil" she scoffed. "Get out. I do not know why Gandalf brought you here. Get out." She turned to walk away.

"Lin-" Gandalf began.

"Don't call me that, not now," she said turning. "Have you lost your mind, bringing them to me? You ask too much."

"Much time has passed," Gandalf argued. "Perhaps it is time for you move on."

"Move on?" Lin repeated, unbelievingly, laughingly. "move on? Perhaps I could welcome the girl and the son of GLoin, but never the Elf. You know precisely what happend, Gandalf, and still you brought him here. If a Wizard could be a fool, you would be one."

"You have spoken harsh words," Gandalf said. "Think about what you have said. Should the sins of the father be placed on the head of the son – or daughter?"

This seemed to strike a note within her. She stood, wavering, weighing her options.

"No," she decided. "No, but they are his sins as well. I will not welcome him. For_h__is_ sake, I cannot."

"How do you know what he would want?" Gandalf asked, but she laughed.

"I know. I have known in the past by much more difficult means. In this case, all you need is to know what he told Thranduil when he offered his help," she spat the last word out mockingly. "Besides, if I told that son of Thranduil who I really was, I doubt he would want to stay here."

"Then tell me who you are," Legolas challenged her, but she just laughed again.

"No, it is never so simple, Prince of Mirkwood. Come, I will tell you a riddle. If you solve the riddle, you may choose either to leave or stay. Do you accept?"

"Yes," Legolas said after a moment. "We accept."

"Here the riddle begins," she said. "You will need to work together to figure it out, I daresay, and you may not turn to Gandalf for help. My first clue is for Mornie.

"I was once very much like you. I certainly loved like you. He was a great warrior as well, but he was also a king; a king whose kingdom was taken from him. I thought that I was supposed to be a great warrior, too. So I wanted to fight, to reclaim what was stolen with a group of others who did not know my identity.

"This next is for Legolas. We had a hard journey. And when we were getting close to our destination, we received no aid from you and your people, our once-friends who had betrayed us before. A long, bitter anger still festered in the heart of my love. Perhaps it was an anger I picked up; however, I would be proud to carry even one of his traits.

"This is for Gimli, though perhaps it is too much. I knew your father. Indeed, it is he who discovered me. He was one of the ones who mocked me for it. He was one of the ones who wanted me kicked out of the group. He was one of the ones who mocked another for standing up for me. But I changed his mind, and I forgave him.

"So this is the riddle I put to you: What was stolen that we reclaimed? Who stood up for me? Who was my love? What was my fake identity? And who am I?"

The room stayed quiet for a long time as the three pondered her words. Mornie knew little of Dwarf history, so she could not get far. It seemed that Gimli would never solve the riddle, until at last he spoke.

"The Arkenstone," he said. "You reclaimed the Arkenstone; Bilbo Baggins stood up for you; Thorin Oakenshield was your love; you claimed to be Regin, but you are Linheid, who was assumed dead. Am I correct?"

Lin long stayed silent. It was clear that her mind was in another time.

"Am I right?" Gimli repeated.

"_Far over the Misty Mountains rise_

_Leave us standing upon the height_

_What was before_

_We see once more_

_Is our kingdom a distant light._

_Fiery mountain beneath the moon_

_The words unspoken, we'll be there soon_

_For home a song _

_That echoes on_

_And all who find us will know the tune_

_Some folk we never forget_

_Some kind we never forgive_

_Haven't seen the back of us yet_

_We'll fight as long as we live_

_All eyes on the hidden door_

_To the Lonely Mountain borne_

_We'll ride in the gathering storm_

_Until we get our long-forgotten gold_

_We lay under the Misty Mountains cold_

_In slumbers deep and dreams of gold_

_We must awake_

_Our lives to make_

_And in the darkness a torch we hold_

_From long ago when lanterns burned_

_Until this day, our hearts have yearned_

_A fate unknown_

_The Arkenstone_

_What was stolen must be returned_

_We must away and make the day_

_To find our song for heart and soul_

_Some folk we never forget_

_Some kind we never forgive_

_Haven't seen the end of it yet_

_We'll fight as long as we live_

_All eyes on the hidden door_

_To the Lonely Mountain borne_

_We'll ride in the gathering storm_

_Until we get our long forgotten gold_

_Far away, the Misty Mountains cold_

"It was the darkness just before the dawn, when I left my home behind," she said at last. "Nothing could have prepared me for what was ahead. At first, they only judged me for my youth. But Thorin saw through it. He saw loyalty and a willing heart. He trusted me for that. He gave me his old sword. He believed the lies I spun. But I broke that trust and that belief. I lied to my king. Yet, when he discovered what I was, he loved me all the more. We made it through Mirkwood. We got into Erebor. And we held it, even though perhaps we should not have. His will held nearly all of us fast. All except Bilbo. Bilbo was the one who first saw through my ruse. He was the one who had kept my secret. That he should have left us before the Battle of Five Armies… but that was a grievous battle. Death took Fili and Kili. And death took Thorin Oakenshield that day. And went him went all the love I had."

She looked back at them suddenly, her face streamed with tears. She gently stroked a ring hanging around her nec.

"I thought, for a time, that my life also followed," she said at last. "I wrote a note telling Balin so; then I jumped. I jumped, hoping to die. There would have been honor in that death, a final reconciliation with my king. But I believe that he kept me here. I have never returned to Erebor, to the Lonely Mountain that bore the hope of our people. The disgrace of being known would be too great. That is why, Gimli, son of Gloin," she said, turning back to them, "you may not tell your father, nor anyone else, of me. I am no longer welcome there without the protection of the one whom everyday I beg to see again. Here Gandalf found me. Here I must dwell, until he sends Death to come and take me to him."

"I have committed injustices against you," Legolas said. "Horrible injustices. I beg your forgiveness."

"You have it," Linheid replied, smiling sadly. "Will you stay in the house of the love of one who hated you, and one who used to hate you, though?"

"I would be glad of the welcome of one whom the noble Thorin Oakenshield favored," he replied.

"Love him dearly, Mornie," Linheid smiled. "The price of the love of a warrior is high, but cherish it - every moment that you have it. Do not be discouraged by this, but my people have a saying: a love known only for a short time conquers a love never known at all."

"I know, and I shall," Mornie replied.

They set out the next morning with provisions from Linheid*. They said goodbye to Gandalf the same day, and he went off his own way, as usual. A few days later, they left Gimli at the Forest River. She could see the joy growing on Legolas' face as they drew near to his home and family, and it brought joy to her too. However, she found that she was also nervous. The night before they were to see Legolas' family, he noticed it too.

"Are you alright?" he asked her after they had eaten.

"I believe so," she said. "It's just that I am not exactly a usual Elf, and they might avoid me for it and doubt you."

"It may take longer for them to understand, but they will," he reassured her. "At the least, they will trust me, and therefore immediately trust you. You'll be fine?"

"I'll be fine," she smiled.

"And since you're nervous you better to get to sleep," he teased her.

Of course, Legolas was right. His family welcomed Mornie with open arms. His mother simply seemed glad to see that he had found a match. His father was glad to be able to talk combat with her. On the whole, the evening was one of joy, and they set out a little later than usual the next morning. About a week later, they crossed The Withered Heath and began ascending the steep pass between the last of the Ered Mithren. They reached the top of the pass just after dawn. There before them stretched a valley, filled with dozens of sleeping dragons!

"I thought they avoided each other," Mornie whispered.

"They should," Legolas whispered back. "Dragons generally aren't worried about attacking even each other."

Suddenly, not fifty paces from them, one of the dragons lifted his head and yawned. He blinked his eyes open, basking in the early sunlight. Then he caught sight of Mornie and Legolas.

*Here ends the optional storyline.

No copyright infringement intended. Characters and lyrics belong to their proper owners.


	16. Chapter 16

The dragon stood and stretched like a cat. Then he began to climb over the other sleeping dragons, heading for Mornie and Legolas.

"What do we do?" she asked.

"Hafal!" a voice cried from the slope of one of the mountains. The dragon turned, unfurling his huge wings. He took off into the sky. Seconds later, he landed where the voice had called from. Then he was right back into the sky. As he approached, the grass and the leaves on the trees blew beneath the force of his wings.

"Gotjoren," a man on the dragon's back said after they had landed. "Qei bese vu? Qae macts vu iicr? »

"Do you speak the common tongue?" Legolas asked.

"Pracen vu larpge Ferua?" the man asked. When neither Legolas nor Mornie responded, he continued: "beesbre iicr, selfolsep." He made gestures for them to stay there, and left again. A few minutes later, he returned with another.

"Hello," the second man said slowly. "I am Galqest. Ferua wonders what do you do here, and who are you. Ferua does not see foreigners coming many times, but Ferua leads this land."

"We apologize; we did not know that anyone lived in these lands," Legolas said. "It is said that the dragons killed all the people, and -"

"Dragons?" the man interrupted. "No, you want to say leceower – fireworm. Dragons are good. They friend us. They and us live more than fireworms. Fireworms fly south many, many snow-melts ago."

"Then there are none left here?"

"Not even the oldest ones part of Ferua have seen them. But you still have not said what do you do here and who you are."

"Around every 500 snow-melts, dragons - fireworms - have come down and attacked the people of the south. It is nearing the end of that time now. We came to stop the fireworms before they could reach us. My name is Legolas. My friend is Mornie."

"Who are the rest of you?"

"The rest?"

"More than two would be sent to stop a fireworm. Not even the strongest and the best fighters of Ferua could stop a fireworm with two."

"We judged ourselves to be enough."

Galqest looked at them in surprise.

"The very best fighters of the people of the south you must be, if that is so. Come, you must come to meet Koöin, the best man of Ferua, who your people call a king."

The city of Ferua was actually a section of one of the mountains. There was no opening at ground level, and only one small one on top of the cliff. From outside, it looked unreachable. Inside, however, four great holes could be seen coming in at the sides. Beyond the sight of the city, they turned up and down: up for the dragons and down for the snow. These passageways opened into a huge cavern. The topmost level stretched out from the north side, forming a landing place for the dragons. The middle level was the city itself. Hundreds of shops and eating places lined the edge of the cavern for hundreds of storeys, and streets lined those or spanned across the expanse, though these were few. However, there were thousands of houses interspersed among the shops. There were also many people: farmers flying out to their fields, merchants opening up their shops, housewives beginning the day's work, and children playing; and there were the dragons who had flown in or slept inside the cavern. If there were enough dragons for every person, there were two torches for every person _and_ dragon. They made the cavern as bright as day and gave the brown walls and floor a reddish hue. On the ground level, there were a number of large torches of days since the snowmelt standing in an oval; and, on the eastern end of an oval was the king on his throne, surrounded by his court.

"Gaël, Koöin, meitle monme," Galqest addressed the king, and bowed.

"Gaust, Galqest," Koöin said. "Suemg, utd repnowrt: qei bese meta vu?"

"iis bese grasd kuirgirr, Koöin," Galqest replied. "iis goktemuv van sun; iis bese Legolas en Mornie."

"Qae macts Legolas meta junse, en ramu?" Koöin asked.

"Koöin asks what you do with Mornie," Galqest told Legolas, who nodded, understanding.

"I knew her father," he explained. "I saw how good a fighter she was, and I saw that she would aid me well."

As Galqest translated this back, Mornie wondered what Legolas implied in his reply. However, she could not ponder long.

"Qae bese iers vetes, en qae tard goktemuv van?" Koöin had asked

"Koöin asks who are your fathers and what land come from," Galqest said.

"I am the son of Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm," Legolas replied; Mornie was about to speak when he interrupted her. "Mornie is the daughter of Aragorn, son of Arathorn, son of Arador, King of Numenor."

"Numenor se gelened," Koöin said after Galqest translated. "kenu el zerocreh?"

"Numenor is known to us as legend," Galqest said. "Can it return?"

"It can," Mornie replied. "For too long, the forefathers of my father were not the true kings. But my father is the true king. He will restore his kingdom, taking back the lost territory. However, though he has fought many wars, he desires peace. Those who are peaceful shall be left in peace."

Koöin asked many more questions, most of which Legolas answered. At last, late in the afternoon, they were shown to a room that they could stay in for, according to Galqest, "as long as wanted." It was a fairly small room; simply two beds on either side of the room, across from the fireplace, and two simple chairs near the fireplace. Above the fireplace was a picture of a red dragon flying over a lake at a red sunset. It reminded Mornie of the battle before Minas Tirith. She walked to the bed farthest from the door and smoothed the cover. Behind her, she heard Legolas sighing as he inspected his arrows.

"I could probably use a few more of these," he thought aloud.

"Well, don't look at me," Mornie replied. "I won't aid you there."

"Is everything all right?" Legolas asked.

"Of course," Mornie said. "Besides, should a page complain to his knight?"

Legolas crossed the room and gently stroked her spine upwards, trying to calm her down.

"It won't work," she said, though not fully believing it.

"Come, Mornie," he said, turning her to face him. "What's the matter?"

"You 'saw that I would aid you well'?" she repeated. Legolas sighed.

"We do not know these people, their customs," he explained. "Many people of the north have lesser views of women, and you know that the traveler must respect the customs of those in whose land he is. I'm sorry, I should have warned you earlier," he lowered his voice. "However, I need you to trust me. I need you to trust that I love you, and that I am doing what's best for the both of us. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Mornie murmured.

A knock resounded on the still-open door, and someone cleared his throat.

"Excuse me," he said, as they separated. "I am Secthulira. I am a student of history. I know the place where it is written of the Numenoreans. I have read them. I have questions about them. My father is Kooin. It would be a great help to him if you helped me. I most need help from Mornie."

"I will come," Mornie replied. Unfortunately, she did not know into what she was getting herself. Questions about the past became questions about the future. Mornie was no longer just a warrior; she now had to serve the role of ambassador as well. This went on for many days. Sometimes she spoke to Secthulira, but more often to others. Often, by the time she returned to her quarters, it was so late that Legolas was already asleep, having spent the day with Secthulira. After a few weeks of this, she returned once, exhausted and late again. Legolas, however, was still up, sitting in one of the chairs by the fireplace. Mornie sat down in the other.

"So, how did it go today?" Legolas asked her.

"Same as ever," she replied. "I'm not cut out for politics."

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"

"Not yet. Usually someone will come to get me with more questions shortly after breakfast."

"Well then, you will simply have to not be here."

"What?"

"Secthulira is going to teach me to ride a dragon tomorrow. We need to leave early, before breakfast. Do you want to come?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course."

"Precisely what I thought you would say," he smiled.

It was a beautiful morning. The sun was warm in the clear sky, even though the air was still a bit cold. Secthulira had chosen a few dragons for them to meet.

"You do not choose the dragon," he had explained. "The dragon chooses you."

Legolas going first, they let each dragon look them over and sniff their hands. When Mornie came to a green one, the dragon rested its snout in her hands.

"Show her your sword," Secthulira directed. The dragon also sniffed the sword, then snorted a few times at a red dragon further down the line. He stepped out of place and walked over. The green one stepped aside as he took her place. He carefully sniffed Mornie's hands and sword, then he raised his head and roared. His power took Mornie breath away, but she looked him in the eye when he lowered his head again. She understood: he had accepted her. In the meanwhile, Legolas had been accepted by a golden dragon. Secthulira mounted his, a black one, and Mornie and Legolas copied him.

"It is a privilege to ride a dragon," he said. "Enjoy it!"

Then he lifted off the ground, the other two following. The one on which Mornie rode immediately did a somersault in the air.

"My name is Dagret," he said, his voice sounding youthful. "You might want to hang on."

"Mornie," she introduced herself, shouting over the wind. "Got it!"

Dagret shot straight upwards like an arrow, then leveled out just as suddenly. Mornie looked down. Far below, she could see Legolas and Secthulira. Then she looked out, and what she saw took her breath away. To the west she could see the land stretching away to where the Mountains of Angmar and Mt. Gundabad rose up, tall and proud. To the south, she saw the path that she and Legolas had traveled, and the Grey Mountains. She could even see Erebor. To the east, her view was obstructed by the mountain. But to the north, she saw the uncharted Forodwaith. The expanse of land all around her took her breath away.

"It's beautiful, isn't it," Dagret said.

"Yes," she replied, "if beautiful can describe it."

"I have often wondered what was beyond those mountains," he said, facing the west.

"I as well," she said. "I have never been that far north."

"You are from over the mountains?" Dagret asked, turning his head to look at her. "I thought you came from the south. How did you get here?"

"I did come from the south, but from the south, I first came from the north."

"Will you return to the First North?"

"I – I don't know," she said. No one had asked her about her plans for the future, and she had never thought about them. When her father made her a Ranger, she could go wherever she wanted, she would no longer be under his authority. She would not stay in Gondor; it was not her home. Now, however, she realized, neither was the north. Would she cross the Sea? This she was unsure of even more. The people of her mother were leaving. Would she go with them? Was she one of them? She pushed these thoughts away.

"Yes," she said at last. "I will go back, someday."

"My father always said it is good to go back to where you were made," Dagret said.

"Really? Where is he from?" Mornie asked.

"The north."

"Did he go ever go back?"

"Yes." Then he dove down, faster and faster and faster. Mornie leaned in, closing her eyes to keep out the wind. She felt him turn back up, and roll to the side, playing in the wind like a child playing in the trees. She laughed.

"If you think this is fun," he called back to her, "try an experiment with me. Let go."

She threw her arms up in the air and loosened her legs. She felt him roll to the side again. She opened her eyes, looking up at the sun as she fell, free and flying. She turned over, facing the earth. She was approaching Legolas and Secthulira very quickly, but slow enough. She looked to her right, and there was Dagret, diving beside her. He looked at her and winked. Then he streamlined himself and moved towards her, getting just below her. She spread her arms and legs, ready to land. In a second, his wings unfurled, and she was on his back, laughing. They turned and flew back up.

"My turn to choose the experiment!" Mornie called. "Just fly level!" She stood up slowly, careful not to lose her balance. When she was firmly planted, she took a deep breath, and smiled. Then she jumped, flipping mid-air, but she landed perfectly on his slippery scales.

"New experiment!" Dagret exclaimed. "Do that again, I'll show you."

Mornie jumped, feeling the dragon roll beneath her, doing a double flip this time. As she turned, she saw Dagret roll over, but he was back in place when she landed. She lost track of time, up high in the air with Dagret. Eventually, however, they heard a dragon's roar. Looking down, they saw Legolas and Secthulira spiraling down, and Dagret followed.


	17. Chapter 17

"Looks like the two of you were having quite a bit of fun up there," Legolas said when they were back on the ground.

"It was amazing," Mornie said. "The way dragons can adapt to speech is incredible."

"Some say that dragons are hatched knowing all the languages in the world," Secthulira said. "We are having a contest next week. Perhaps you should ask Dagret about competing in it."

"Perhaps I will," Mornie replied.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Are you sure _you_ are?" Mornie asked Dagret back.

"I'm not the one who keeps counting the other competitors," he pointed out.

"We have only been practicing for a week. Looks like everyone else has had a few years."

"I've never seen anyone doing any flips on these jumps; you'll get lots of points for that."

"How many of these have you seen?"

"Including this?"

"Yes." Suddenly, they were interrupted by a horn call. Legolas ran over to them.

"That's the call to mount," he said, and he helped Mornie up. Mounted, she looked back down at him. He grasped her hand. "Galu! No veren!" he said. "Good luck! Enjoy yourself!"

"Ni lassui," she replied, "thank you." Then they were up in the air.

"We're fourth in line," she told Dagret when she got the number from the judges.

"So we wait one minute after Three has gone."

"Or until directed by the starting line judge."

Finally the crowd was called to order, and the competition began. Mornie forced herself to concentrate. As ambassador, she needed to do well, to show these people what they could expect from those led by her father. The course ahead was lined with ribbon, held far apart by dragons and riders. The first in line started. She glanced down at Legolas, who waved at her. She waved back. The second in line started. She glanced quickly at the competitors behind and before her. The one in front looked nervous, but rode a capable-looking blue dragon. The competitor behind her, however, looked fierce, and too much like an Easterling, on a dark red dragon. It was larger than the other dragons, and the head shape seemed a little different. From the look in its eyes, it was easy to guess: he was partially descended from a fireworm. Mornie looked forward again. The third in line was about to start. She closed her eyes and placed her hand far up on Dagret's shoulder where she could feel his pulse. She controlled her breathing to synchronize their heartbeats. She opened her eyes again, and the third in line was gone. She shifted for the utmost balance and waited. Dagret watched the starting line judge eagerly. He was ready to roll, literally, the first part of the course being up to the dragon's flying skills. Then he was off too, flying fast and dangerously, yet perfectly executing all his tricks. Unfortunately, as Mornie checked behind them, she soon caught sight of the "Easterling" gaining on them. She warned Dagret, and they were soon far ahead. Before long, the hoops came into view. This was Mornie's time to get them the extra points. She stood, carefully keeping her balance in spite of Dagret's speed. Then came the first, with a perfect somersault. The second was closer than she expected, but she got through with a flip and a quick handstand. The third was the largest, and the one they had planned for the double flip and roll. They executed both perfectly. The fourth Mornie had to jump for, with a backwards somersault. The fifth was larger than she expected, and she knew how to use it.

"Triple!" she called to Dagret, and he nodded back. The hoop approached, and she tensed her legs for the jump. She hadn't done this on Dagret before, but she knew she could do it. Then there was the hoop, and she was up in the air alone again. She managed the three flips beautifully, though the landing was a tiny bit off. She hoped that the judges hadn't noticed, but she didn't have time to worry. The "Easterling" was gaining on them again. Again she warned Dagret, but he wasn't fast enough. The sun was covered for a split second, and then the "Easterling" was in front of them. Dagret tried to catch back up, but the others were too fast.

"Concentrate on the rolls!" Mornie called. It wasn't worth worrying about it. However, Dagret kept his speed up as well as his rolls. They passed the blue dragon who had been in third. They were back in fourth, but they didn't have much time. Ahead was the Pointspace, the area where the competitors could do just about anything for points without losing their spot. The "Easterling" had just finished when they reached it. They didn't have any time to lose, even though they hadn't lost their momentum. Mornie stood quickly, took a deep breath, and jumped, throwing in every twirl, flip, or somersault she could think of. About half-way down, she realized that they had started lower than planned. They were going to cut it close. As close as the ground was now. Or, maybe now? Where was Dagret? As she turned, she tried to see him, but she couldn't. He was never the direction she was looking. She had to trust him. _Concentrate on the rolls,_ she told herself. Finally, Dagret was there, and they were back up to the level of the course. The "Easterling" must have counted on their trick being longer, or his dragon was getting tired, because he soon came into view. Mornie saw him glance back at them, and she smiled at him. He turned, and the dragon began to fly in various directions, trying to hold his spot.

"Dagret!" Mornie called, spotting a way.

"I see it!" he said. Mornie held on tight as he dove steeply, then rose again just as steeply, coming out far ahead of the "Easterling." The course began to rise, getting steeper and steeper. There were various ways straight through horizontally, but none as quick as the vertical path. And vertical it had become. Mornie breathed slowly and deeply, holding close to Dagret, careful not to faint because of the thin air. She did not know how he managed it, but they made it to the top and back down again. The second place dragon, a purple one, came into view, and, just beyond him, the finish line. Excited, Dagret flew faster, faster than he ever had before. Mornie ducked, avoiding becoming an obstacle of the wind or Dagret's wings. In a moment, they were just behind the purple dragon. Dagret pushed forward, but the other pushed just as hard, holding his spot. They finished, and Dagret spiraled down to where Legolas waited. Now all they could do was wait with him for the others to finish and the judges to total up the scores. Finally, the scores were announced. The purple dragon, even starting out first in line got third, for lack of enough points. Mornie tied for second with the "Easterling."

"Tied for second," Legolas teased. "What a very political position." Dagret, however, was not so happy.

"Well, we did better than we expected, didn't we?" Mornie asked him. He accepted this as consolation.

With Mornie's work finished about a week later, she and Legolas were headed back south. After a few nights in Mirkwood, they regained their horses and rode on to Gondor. Even after Dagret, Mornie was glad to be back on Scyld, and he seemed quite glad to be back with her. They reached Gondor a few days before the wedding, which passed without trouble. Faramir took over the ruling of the city for a short time, and Mornie aided him. A few nights after the wedding she stood alone facing the east, deep in thought as the sun set behind Mindolluin. The warmth of the summer was at its height, though lessened in the evening, so she was wearing a light dress that left her arms bare. They were crossed in her frustration at politics. Legolas came up behind her.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, placing his arms over hers.

"Not really," she said. "I simply wasn't made for politics." He gently rubbed her arms, slipping inside her elbow. Suddenly his hand stopped. Mornie knew what he had found, and it frightened her.

"Mornie," Legolas said, holding her left arm, "What's this?"

"A scar," she replied.

"I know that," he answered, moving to look her in the eye. "What is it from?"

"I- I didn't know why," she stumbled over the words, "why I couldn't heal myself, so I kept trying. I cut myself there to try to heal it. Now I know, it was just evidence of Saruman's manipulation."

"Oh, Mornie," he said, holding her to him, "I'm sorry you had to suffer through this whole thing. But it makes you who you are."

The next day, she went to look for him at the midday meal. He had lifted her spirits before, and she wanted to talk to him again, even though Aragorn was back for most of the day. She found him in a courtyard, but she did not speak to him. He was sitting with another Elf, being very familiar with her. Mornie was confused, and yet at the same time she understood. She saw him turn, but she looked away and left, heading back to her rooms where she shut and locked the door. She sat down on the floor against a wall, vaguely hearing Legolas knocking on the door and calling for her. _It makes me who I am. Who I am isn't good enough for him. This time, I will do it._ She put all her effort into it.

Legolas had been surprised by his sister that morning. However, when he had turned and seen the expression on Mornie's face, much of his joy was lost. He immediately comprehended the entire situation and hurried after her to explain. She was too fast, however, and locked her door against him. No matter how he called she would not answer. Suddenly, however, there was a flash of bright light, and he knew that she was in danger. He pushed the door down to get to her as fast as he could.

Mornie did not know what had happened for a moment. Her right hand was over her left arm, and her head was leaning back against the wall. Legolas knelt in front of her, his hand on her forehead and cheek, worried, but he smiled when she looked up at him. Then she remembered. She moved her hand, looking at her arm, but the scar was still there. She sighed, disappointed in herself.

"I don't blame you," she said, "For not wanting to be with me. I wouldn't either."

"Mornie," he said, "she's my sister. I do want to be with you. And," he placed his finger on the scar, "I love this. I love this because it is a part of you, and I love you. Mornie, will you marry me?"

She looked at him for a moment, sorting this out. For the moment, she bypassed the sister part. He wanted to marry her, even with exactly who she was. She smiled.

"Yes," she said; he smiled back.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go tell your father."

They found him with Arwen in the main hall.

"I was just about to send for the two of you," he began, "but, from your expressions, your news is more important than mine. Speak freely."

"Adda, I - we, that is,' she smiled. "We want your blessing."

"We want to get married," Legolas finished.

"Perfect!" Arwen said. "You can have a double wedding with Faramir and Eowyn. We'll have it out in the same place as the coronation, and all the city will be invited, and –'

"Arwen?" Mornie asked, wanting to break in before she had the entire wedding planned. "I was thinking maybe a bit smaller."

"Smaller, Morwen?" she said. "So, smaller like nobility and their families, that sort of thing?"

"Well, I don't know what Legolas was thinking," she looked back at him "But possibly smaller like you and Adda and Legolas' family, and Gandalf if he could make it, and maybe a few others, depending on the location."

"Oh," Arwen said, sighing. "May I at least design the dress?"

"Who else would?" Mornie smiled.

"Besides, love," Aragorn said, "Eowyn may want help planning their wedding while these two are up north."

"North?" Mornie and Legolas asked at the same time.

"North," Aragorn said. "You too must have made quite the impression up there. A land the east neighbor of Ferua, if I am repeating that correctly, has requested your help, if you can spare the time."

"Do you want to go?" Legolas asked Mornie.

"I'll go if you will," she replied.

"Looks like we will be back on the road soon," he said to Aragorn.

"Then everything is settled," Aragorn replied. "May I have a word with you in private, Legolas?"

"Come, Morwen, we'll start plans for the dress," Arwen took her hand and led her out of the room. About half an hour later, having given Arwen her measurements and hesitant approval of basic ideas, Mornie escaped. She found Legolas waiting outside for her, and they began to walk together.

"What was that about?" she asked him.

"What you would expect," was the reply. "When you were talking about the wedding, what did you mean 'depending on the location?'"

"When we visited Lothlorien, you said you had always wanted to visit it in spring." He stopped and looked at her, smiling.

"Mornie, you are amazing," he said.

"Isn't this the part where I'm supposed to say, 'I know?'" she answered. He stroked her cheek.

"On a different subject, when do you think we can start back north?" he asked.

"Probably fairly soon," she replied. "I just want to check with Eowyn about her wedding."

"Of course," he replied.


	18. Chapter 18

Mornie and Legolas set out for the Grey Mountains a few days later. They had received word that Secthulira would join them there and guide them to the neighboring land that had asked for their help. They traveled with Legolas' sister, who was very friendly to Mornie, treating her as a soon-to-be sister. Legolas, however, was quiet for the first part of the journey. His sister had brought sad news for him: his family would be crossing the Sea at the end of the summer. He avoided Mornie's questions, but finally, she got it out of him one night.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" was her first question.

"I didn't want you to feel pressured into making a decision about when to follow," he explained.

"I have made my decision," she said. "I will cross the Sea once we are married. The real question is, however, whether you want to get married sooner to go with your parents."

"No," he said, "I like the idea of a spring wedding in Lothlorien. I already have a letter written to Galadriel asking permission to have it there that I can send with my sister."

"Will we enter Mirkwood with her?" Mornie asked. "The last message from Ferua seemed rather urgent."

"Yes," Legolas agreed, "we had better go straight to the mountains. Linwe can take the horses." With that, it was settled. They said goodbye to Linwe when the time came and continued straight north, meeting up with Secthulira precisely as planned. The three of them traveled northeast from there. They began to see huts and small villages, but no one was living in them. After a few days of this, a fortress came into view, rising high above the ground around it. Once they reached it, they realized that the gate was closed. A sentry, however, yelled from above it down to them.

"Gotjoren, Secthulira," he said. "Bese iis dusu kuigirr vu arpnen meta vu?"

"iis bese, Wecten," Secthulira responded, and the gate opened. Secthulira led them through the streets to the great house, or Groneehiun. The rumor of their coming must have flown ahead of them, for many heads were put out of windows to stare at them, and when they reached Groneehiun, they were met by a short man and his company, apparently the people's leader, who invited them inside Groneehiun. Secthulira translated for them as he spoke. He seemed very tense, following the attitude of the rest of the town.

"He thanks you for coming," Secthulira said. "Apparently their land has been troubled. They do not have any great warriors. The ones that they had have already been lost. There is an enemy. Everyone is afraid of him. Those who oppose him have not come back. They are safe inside the city. But the people cannot grow crops in the city. He wants you to fight the enemy. He wants you to give the people their land back. You will receive payment for your services. Will you fight the enemy?"

"Of course," Legolas replied. "We will do all that we can."

"He thanks you many times again," Secthulira continued. "The fortress of the enemy is further north. It is easy to find. But because of your long journey he wants you to stay and rest tonight."

"Tell him thank you, and that we accept his offer." Secthulira translated this back, and they were shown to a room that they would share for the night. With all the land packed into one small town, Mornie assumed they were given much by only having three in one room, though it was small.

"What about you, Secthulira?" Legolas asked him later. "Will you be coming with us to fight the enemy?"

"I was hoping I could if you didn't mind," he replied.

"We would be glad to have you," Legolas answered for both of them. Mornie smiled.

After another few days of traveling, they came to an open space where the land had been burnt to the ground. Far away, the tiny speck of another fortress appeared, but they could not reach it without being seen.

"Apparently this Fenimdi is very unwilling to be snuck up on," Secthulira said. "What do we do?"

Mornie looked to Legolas, who was studying the surrounding land. "Follow those rocks," he said at last, "and hope they get us close enough to the fortress."

"They will not provide much cover," Mornie said.

"Walk slowly when we get within full eye sight," he said, and led the way.

The rocks got them fairly close to the fortress, within a few hours walking time. As they waited for the cover of night, they devised a plan for making it inside. Secthulira, as the best climber, could scale the wall without rope, and then tie some to the rampart for the other two. From the heart of the fortress, they could devise a way to kill Fenimdi and any soldiers who resisted with the knowledge of their strength. Finally, night came. They ran the short distance to the wall. Mornie and Legolas waited within its shadow, watching Secthulira climb it like a lizard. He disappeared over the top, having specific instructions from Legolas of how to complete his task without getting caught. Two ropes and Secthulira's face appeared at the top, and he threw the ropes down to them. Mornie and Legolas caught hold of them and began to climb. Suddenly, Mornie felt the resistance on her rope loosen. She grabbed for a hold, but her hand slid over the smooth surface. She looked up, and saw Legolas looking down at her, but she also saw her rope sliding over the edge. Then she was falling, falling, falling…

Voranieet woke with a start. She pushed back the bedcovers and reached for her candle and a match. By its light, she pulled a shawl over her nightgown and pulled back the curtains of her window. She closed her eyes and lent her head against the side of the window, focusing on the sound of the rain and the cool touch of the stone on her forehead. These things were real. These things were what mattered. These things were not a dream. She knew who she was. She was the daughter of a late king. She was the sister of the man who had reigned after their father for only a few months. She remembered her brother's sickness, her grief at his passing. She remembered being comforted by his successor, Idmi. She remembered his promise, to always be there for her. These were the things that were real. These were the things that mattered. These were the things that were not a dream. She remembered singing in the sunshine with her grandmother, she remembered trying to follow her brother and Idmi, she remembered being the favored little princess of the land. These were the things that were real. These were the things that mattered. These were the things that were not a dream. She remembered the dark days: her grandmother's death, her mother's death during the birth of a stillborn child, her father's death of grief. She remembered her brother's bleak coronation, then his own sickness and death. These were the things that were real. These were the things that mattered. These were the things that were not a dream. She remembered when the dreams started, over six months ago. She remembered her confusion. She remembered that she had to keep it a secret from all but a few. Only the doctors and Idmi could know. These were the things that were real. These were the things that mattered. These were the things that were not a dream. But she could also remember the face of the man in her dream. She remembered his eyes, so full of love. She spoke out loud to him.

"Do you mean everything to me, or nothing?" was all she asked. She knew the answer. She knew how to affirm the answer. She needed to see Idmi.

"Come," was the voice that answered her knock on the door of his study, even this late at night. "Vory," he said, immediately offering her a seat at his side. "Is it the dreams again?"

"They're coming back every night now," she said.

"Who are you, Voranieet?" he asked, as he always did.

"I am the daughter of King Nacr, and the sister of King Hreub," she answered as she always did. "Both are dead. I am the last of my family."

"What will you do, Voranieet?"

"I will combat realistic dreams with reality, and I will win. Then I will live my life as fate wills it and my king commands it. I-"

"My lord – and lady," the soldier said, bursting into the room. "Forgive me, but the king is needed immediately."

Idmi got up and spoke in whispers to the soldier. He was clearly disturbed by the news he received.


	19. Chapter 19

"What is it?" Voranieet asked Idmi. "What is going on?"

"Vory, I need you to come with me," he said, walking out of the room and down the hall quickly. "There's been a dungeon break. It is not safe out in the open. Stay in your room, close your curtains, and lock the door. Don't open it for anyone but me."

She was left alone in her room with a sole candle for company. She didn't know how long she waited there. She could feel the heat growing outside, so she lifted the corner of a curtain just a tiny bit. Flames crackled and roared all over the courtyard below her. It was far enough away that she was not in danger, but it still frightened her. Suddenly, she heard a door slam open, and she jumped. It was far down the hall, though. Then another, closer, opened. The force of it, she realized, could only be caused by someone kicking it down, though how she knew this, she didn't know. A third was opened. Whatever it was, it was getting closer. Another slammed open. Her heart thumped in her ears. She heard the doorknob rattle on the door next to her room, then the door slam open. A short pause, then her doorknob rattled. She backed up against the wall across from it. Then her door was kicked in. A tall man stood in the door way, fire behind him and fire in his eyes. She was no match with only herself and her small, dying candle. But she recognized him. He was the man in her dream, who had looked back with love as she had fallen.

"Mornie!" he called, running to embrace her. Then she remembered. He pulled away for a moment. "Do you know who I am?" he asked. "Do you know who you are?"

"Yes," she said, "you are Legolas. I am Mornie, Morwen Finduilas Ar-Feniel. I am the daughter of none and the sister of none. I have no family yet, and I will do exactly as I please. But, what I don't know," she said, calming down, "is how I got from the night I fell to here."

"It was just a spell," Legolas said. "But we don't have time now; we need to get out of here."

"Wait!" Mornie said suddenly. "What about Idmi – I mean, Fenimdi?"

"He's dead, Mornie. You need not worry about him anymore. Now, come," and they left that house forever. They passed through the fire together, and at the gate lay a troll. Secthulira stood over him, waiting.

"Troll's blood," he said, handing Legolas a vial and Mornie her tunic and weapons, "and your things. Luckily Fenimdi had kept them all these months."

"What were you two doing all these months?" Mornie asked.

"We were imprisoned," Secthulira answered. "Took us this long to find each other, and then come up with a plan to set you free and get out of this place."

"We'll have time for more later," Legolas said. "The fire is growing. We need to go now."

They managed to avoid the people of the land without being noticed. Many farmers had moved back into the villages, having seen the fire amongst the snow in the night and interpreted it correctly. Mornie and Legolas sent word with Secthulira that they would not accept payment. It was a quiet journey south while Mornie worked to reconcile her memory against the spell she had been under. At last, she asked Legolas to turn west at the southern end of Mirkwood. She knew that it was time for her to complete her childhood, face her creation.

They found a few small villages not far from the river Isen. Each had at least one member who knew enough of the common tongue to translate for them. At each village, they asked the same question: whether the body of an Elf had been found some 15 or 16 summers ago. At each village, the answer was the same: no. They were about to turn back without hope when they came to another village. This time, the answer was different. One of the elder members led them to a small copse of trees just out of sight of the river. He turned back, leaving Legolas and Mornie alone. Mornie knew it when she saw it. There was one young tree, tiny buds beginning to sprout on the tips of its branches, at the end of a small, oval, grass-covered space marked by stones. This was the grave of her mother. She knelt at the foot of the tree while Legolas stood back a short ways.

"I wish that I had known your name, Nana," she whispered. "I have wished for many things besides that, but none were given to me. Perhaps that is a good thing." She began to cry softly. The new leaves of the tree whispered in a breeze that touched no other tree, in a song that sounded so familiar. Mornie started to sing quietly.

"_I'll hush, my mother, though I'm alone_

_I miss you, e'en though the light has come back_

_I waited, the light returned_

_Dark has left for now I sing_

_Here I'll smile and sing with you_

_I'll smile; the sun has come out again at last_

_Though without you, I have remained,_

_Something has held me, your mem'ry, your song_

_And now someone I love_

_I can be happy and safe_

_Now I'll smile and sing with him _

_I'll smile; the sun has come out again at last_

_I have remembered your promise_

_You are with me, now, and e'er in my heart_

_You are with me, Nana_

_Promise kept, we meet again_

_Now I smile and sing with you_

_I smile; the sun has come out again at last"_

She felt the gentle pressure of Legolas' hand on her shoulder as she bent her head in silence.

"Mornie," he murmured suddenly. "Look at your hair."

She grabbed her braid, pulled it over her shoulder and gasped. The hair, which once was black, was now a bright red, the same color as her mother's in her memories. It brought a sorrowful joy to her, and her hand gently brushed the bark of the tree as she stood. Legolas walked at her side.

That night, they camped on the plains of Rohan. The fire flickered gently as Mornie thought back to her mother. Once she glanced across the fire to find Legolas smiling at her.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"It's your hair," he said. "The firelight dances across it as autumn leaves in a gentle breeze."

Mornie smiled. She knew that she found someone with whom she could sing.

Unfortunately, they decided to say goodbye the next morning, with the promise to meet again in Lothlorien at the end of March. For a few weeks, Mornie remained alone in Fangorn before continuing south along the mountains. She was able to enter Minas Tirith quietly without anyone recognizing her. She knew she needed to see and explain things to her father first, so she went straight to the main hall, managing to time it perfectly so that she would be the last one he saw before the midday meal. She explained everything, and the weeks passed quickly to the end of March. At last, she and her company departed, and two messengers were sent ahead: one to Rivendell to bring the finished wedding dress to Lothlorien, and another to Lothlorien to prepare what needed to be done there. Once in Lorien itself, Mornie was glad to see Gandalf there. She spoke to Galadriel and saw Legolas with him, but they spoke little. Mornie could not sleep that night, waiting for the dawn, the beginning of the wedding.

Arwen came with the dress in the pale light before dawn. Its skirt was plain, but the bodice was decorated with small diamonds and pearls along the neckline. The sleeves were light, flowing out from the elbow. She brushed her hair, leaving it down, and around her head placed a simple silver circlet with a small blue stone in the center.

As the tiniest bit of sun broke over the horizon, Legolas and Mornie waited with bated breath. To one side of them stood the others: Aragorn and Arwen, Gandalf, and Galadriel and Celeborn. One the other side were the custom necessities for the Valar: they stood near a stream for Ulmo, soil and stone for Aule, fruit for Yavanna, Mornie's woven story of a memory-dream for the Feanturi and Varie, healing salves for Este, Legolas' and Mornie's mixed tears for Nienna, their swords laid out for Tulkas, their arrows for Nessa, the blood of the troll for Orome, and flowers for Vana. Their right hands were tied together over their left hands. Thus they waited together for the winds of Manwe to pass through the stillness before the western stars of Varda disappeared. Mornie's heart began to pound as the stars faded. There wasn't much time left. What if their union wasn't blessed? Yet, as she looked at Legolas, she wondered, how that could be, with someone she loved so much? Then at last, to finish off her fears, a breeze whispered through her hair and in the young leaves of the mallorn branches above them. Both glanced west quickly, and a few stars were still visible. They knew the words to say.

"Here, by starlight and sunlight, and by the Two Trees of Valinor, Silpion and Malinalda, we ask that our union be blessed. In flowers for Vana, we ask that our life be beautiful."

"In the blood of a troll for Orome," Legolas said, "I ask for the strength to protect my love as I have done from all monsters, physical or emotional."

"In our arrows for Nessa," they said together, "we ask for the swift coming of joy. In our swords for Tulkas Astaldo, we ask for the ability to fight anger. In our tears for Nienna, we ask to have the ability to bear each other's sorrows together. In healing salves for Este, we ask for the ability to forgive the wounds made by the other."

"In the woven story for Varie," Mornie said, "I ask for the ability to weave for my love a good life."

"In the memory for Namo Mandos," they said together again, "we ask to remember the past. In the dream for Irmo Lorien, we ask to look to the future. In fruit for Yavanna Kementari, we ask that our work be not in vain. In soil and stone for Aule, we ask for knowledge of the other's needs. In the water for Ulmo, we ask that the streams of our lives be ever carried in the same river. In the stars of Varda Elbereth, we ask for light. And, in the winds of Manwe Sulimo, we ask to love ever. Thus before the Valar, we promise to love in beauty, laugh in joy, cry in connection, and know when to remember and forget, before Iluvatar."

That night, something startled Mornie from sleep, whether sudden noise or dream. Then she remembered in whose arms she lay, and she was calm again.

"The army of my father is going north," Mornie told Legolas a few days later. "The land of Gondor is being restored, enemies driven out. Are we to be a part of it?"

"I think we ought to be, don't you? If we are to leave this world soon, we should do our best to leave it in the best condition."

Thus it was decided, and they rode north. The army often fanned out, searching every cave and crevice. Those who fled from them were questioned, then tried if need be and punished. Other cases of the land were tried, and judges appointed over certain areas. Then they crossed over the East-West Road. Many things were feared to live north of it, some children's tales, some realized. They fought trolls and monsters plaguing the villages. Once they came to village plagued by a children's tale-monster known as the woman in the well. Many had gone to fight her, but all had come back defeated and unhappy. A large number of them had killed themselves. It was said that she could only be destroyed by another woman. The answer was clear: the only warrior-woman among them was Mornie. So, by the light of moon alone, which was the only time the woman in the well would come out, Mornie ventured alone to the place where she could find the well. There she found the Woman. A softly-glowing being sat hovering above the well.

"I was wondering when you would reach this place," said the Woman in a calm, melodic voice.

"You knew I was coming?" Mornie replied, equally calm.

"I know everything, child," the Woman fixed her with a hard look. "I know what you are. I know what you have experienced, and what you have done. I know what you have come here to do, and I know that you will fail."

"Failure is not an option from whence I come."

"Oh, child," she laughed. "You can't kill me."

"Then I shall destroy you another way. Tell me, what is it you have done to the others who have come," Mornie began to pace.

"I'll play along," said the Woman. "I tell them the truth: a truth they already know, but have not yet accepted."

"And this truth causes them to become unhappy."

"Unhappy? Yes, I suppose you could put it that way?"

"How would you put it?"

"It changes from person to person. You, for instance, you would become untrusting if I told you your truth."

"My truth?" Mornie laughed coldly, mockingly. "And what is 'my truth?'"

"That necklace you wear," said the Woman. "It belonged to someone else before you."

"The Elven warrior Kamiliel, yes," said Mornie. "What has she got to do with it?"

"The one you call husband knew her once, did he not?" The moon seemed to be covered by a cloud. "And when did he first begin to show affection for you? He may think he loves you, but when both of you reach the other land and he sees her again, he will remember whom he truly loves."

Mornie remained silent.

"Do not try to say that I am lying," the Woman continued. "I told you, I tell only truth."

Suddenly Mornie laughed, and the cloud passed over. "You fool," she said. "Legolas and I are bound by vows. Even should he forsake his, I shall never forsake mine. I shall always love him. And because I love him, he will never forsake his vows." And she laughed again. The Woman hissed, and lunged forward to attack. Suddenly, however, her light grew brighter, and Mornie shielded her eyes. Then the Woman was gone.


	20. Chapter 20

It happened once that King Aragorn found something very precious. What it was was kept secret, so that now no one knows what it could have been. Two of the few people who knew what it was were Legolas and Mornie, and so the king commanded that they be the ones to take it back to Minas Tirith. They did not require speed, so they laughed and sang much together along their journey. So they reached Fangorn Forest, where they met Gandalf and Treebeard together.

"Ai!" they called.

"Hail!" replied Gandalf and Treebeard.

"What brings you to the forest?" asked the Ent.

"An official errand of Gondor," replied Mornie, dismounting.

"What news, Gandalf?" asked Legolas. As they exchanged news, Mornie listened intently, until she began to feel dizzy. She leant against a tree, and the movement caught Legolas' eye.

"Mornie, are you all right?" he asked.

"I'll be fine in a moment," she said quietly.

"This is the fourth time, Mornie," he persisted. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Gandalf approached and took her hand, looking her in the eye. "How long have these spells been coming upon you?"

"Just a few months," she said.

"Her stomach's been bothering her too," Legolas added. Suddenly, Treebeard laughed.

"I have always said 'don't be hasty,'" he said, "but I never meant that to be taken as ignoring the obvious."

"The obvious?" Legolas asked.

"She carries a child," Treebeard said. Mornie caught her breath. Legolas took her hand. Her heart began to beat faster. She sank down to the ground. She tried to understand this easy concept. She felt that something was missing.

"Mornie," Legolas said, "We're going to have a baby."

That's what she was missing.

"Mornie?" Legolas said. "What's the matter?"

"I'm scared," she whispered. "I'm scared for this child. Gandalf," she asked, "please, do you know what-" she swallowed hard – "what Saruman did to me? Will this child survive?"

"Only you can answer that question. But now you need someplace close and safe, someplace you can rest."

Legolas looked to Mornie.

"Lothlorien," she said. "But the-"

"Don't worry," Gandalf interrupted. "I'll take care of it."

Lothlorien was even quieter than before, for nearly all the Elves were gone. Galadriel and Celeborn, however, still welcomed them warmly. Mornie put all her effort into supporting the child. Yet still she doubted.

"What if I'm a bad mother?" she asked Legolas late one night. "I haven't had one myself to know what to do."

"Look at how much you have already done for the child," he said. "All you have to do is love him."

"How do you know it's a boy?" Mornie smiled.

"Love her," he amended.

"How do you know it's a girl?"

"You," he said, and kissed the top of her head.

In March, a little girl named Nienna Silmarwen Calmacil was born. Her mother called her Mela, meaning love. Her father sent a letter to Mela's grandfather, telling him of her birth. However, that letter contained additional news: that the Last Ship was sailing in only six months. He worried that, with Mornie and Mela too weak to travel and Aragorn too busy ruling, they may never meet again.

Four months passed, and the three of them began to make slow progress towards the river Isen. Mornie easily found the small copse of trees that she had visited only once before. As it was late in the summer, many of the blossoms on a particular tree had already fallen off, covering the grave of her mother in beauty and a sweet perfume. They spent a few hours there, playing with Mela. As they began to leave, again a breeze that touched no other tree whispered through, and a full blossom wafted gently down, settling behind Mela's ear. So Mornie and her mother were truly parted.

As they turned back north, Mornie began to doubt that she would ever see her father again. This saddened her, but she now understood her responsibilities as a mother, and she would do everything in her power to fulfill them.

The 29th of September dawned a cool day so near the sea. Within a few hours of setting out from camp, they heard the call of a gull. Mornie looked at Legolas, who smiled back, and the horses began to hasten.

The sun was low on the horizon when they reached the Grey Havens. It had once been a beautiful city on the bay, with two monoliths on either side of the entrance to the sea. But Mornie cared not for these things, for she saw something else. At last, hope was renewed, and Mela met her grandfather. As Mornie said goodbye for the last time, she felt at peace, there at last at on the shores of the calling sea. In the prow of the boat she held Mela, leaning gently back, resting her head on Legolas' shoulder. So they passed into the West.

Thus ends the tale of Mornie, for, where she has gone, one of the last of her kind, no record has returned.


End file.
